BlazeBlitz
by Firebloom
Summary: Roughly seven months after "Firestorm". With a special arrival almost in the picture, things are at their prosperous peak for Larxene and the Organization. But soon, a haunting rival from long ago threatens to rip it asunder... Larxel, Demyx/OC
1. Opening

He parted his lips to drink in the cool, eternal night air. A small breeze swept coolly around his ankles, making him look downward, where his gaze roved the grounds of the City That Never Was. This was his home, and he wouldn't have it any other way. He didn't want anything to change. Everything seemed so... so _perfect._

He reflected on the good times and the hard times. Everything he could remember; hell, he remembered his past two lives. The Somebody life and the Nobody life. Though, what he was noticing was that the memories of the Somebody life were even fuzzier than before; he couldn't recall them as clearly as he could in the Nobody life. So be it, he knew. Too much for his memory.

He was glad he knew everything from the Nobody life.

Axel ran a hand through his fire-red hair, feeling the spikes that came up naturally. He had taken a walk for fresh air, feeling that he needed it. Besides, his lover had insisted.

Speaking of whom, he found it harder and harder to leave her side than ever before. It was expected, of course; Larxene was almost eight and a half months along, due any time now. Axel's skin prickled with anticipation as he thought about the inevitable prospect of soon becoming a father.

He was suddenly overtaken with a pang in his heart; he wanted to see Larxene.

_Now.

* * *

_"Whatever," Meytha clucked. "I still say it's a girl!"

Demyx laughed, still intent on his own prediction. "Yeah, sure!" he laughed. "I say Larxene'll have a boy."

"Oh yeah?" Meytha raised a dark green eyebrow. "Wanna bet?"

"As a matter of fact," Demyx responded, puffing out his chest, "I do!"

"Larx!" Meytha called. "What do you think you're going to have?"

The woman Meytha had addressed looked up; she had allowed herself to become drowsy, rather than hear the two dispute about the gender of her upcoming firstborn. Now, her cerulean blue eyes gleamed with intelligence. "Boy," she answered simply.

"Hah!" Demyx shouted triumphantly, punching the air. "In your face, my sweet!"

"Nah, nah, nah," Meytha said childishly as a retort. "You seem so sure of your prediction, Larx. How come?"

"Because Zexion can tell these things," the Savage Nymph responded loftily. "Plus Luxord bets that it'll be a boy, also."

"Ah-HAH!" Demyx said again. "Still wanna say it's a girl?" He raised one eyebrow as a challenge.

"I'm stickin' with it!" Meytha declared, crossing her arms. "But I think those two cheat somehow...," she grumped.

"That," a new voice called, "or they're smarter than you two lovable nimrods."

"No fair, Axel," Meytha said, sticking her tongue out at the pyro, who had just arrived.

Demyx felt a tugging in his chest, telling him that he and Meytha should leave. "Hey, c'mon, Mey," he called enthusiastically, holding out his hand. "Let's go see if we can get Zexion to tell us how he knows it's a boy."

"Ooh!" Meytha shot up. "And if he won't tell us, we'll threaten him with some rotten food to jack his nose up!"

The pair leaped energetically through a portal, and Axel finally turned to Larxene. His heart swelled immeasurably at the sight of her, as it always did.

Larxene rose, and Axel once more saw her swollen stomach, carrying the life that they had conjured together. The Nymph wrapped her arms around his neck. Grinning, she purred, "Looks like those two get more playful with each other everyday."

Axel chuckled, low and deep. "Yeah," he responded, smiling. "Demyx needed a girl, true. It helps him a lot."

"It does, doesn't it?" she agreed, and pressed her lips hungrily into his own.

Axel seized her hips while she continued kissing him. He retaliated affectionately, heated and loving.

Larxene moaned and pulled away, laying herself carefully on the bed, stomach up. She spread her legs apart suggestively when Axel sat across from her, looking into her eyes with his emerald ones. He stretched himself above her, teasing her by means of his fingers rubbing a certain region. Larxene groaned breathlessly for more, feeling herself wanting to burst. "You always were a tease...," she gasped, inches now from his lips.

Axel smirked affectionately before working with the zipper to her pants. When Larxene had begun to swell, she had decided to put away her Organization coat until the child was born. Until recently, say seven months, the Nymph had still gone in battle practices and other travels; the Nymph was never off her feet for too long. But now that she was eight and a half months with child, even Larxene knew not to overexert herself now.

"I tease you because I know it drives you insane," Axel whispered, his voice husky. He lifted his hand away and curled next to his lover when she turned to the side. The two lay next to each other for what seemed like hours.

"Axel?"

"Hm?" he rumbled.

"What do _you_ think I'll have? A boy or a girl?"

Axel smiled before kissing her forehead. "Whatever gender," he purred, "I'm sure they'll turn out lovely."

"Don't beat around the bush," Larxene replied softly. "What do you think I'll have?" she repeated.

"Well," he relented, "if I had to guess, I'd say... a girl."

"Do you_ want_ a girl?"

"It doesn't matter to me," he whispered. "It doesn't matter because I know that that's still my child, regardless." He smiled warmly again. "You get what I'm saying, right?"

Larxene grinned. "Yeah, you knucklehead."

* * *

The little girl tripped, her face impacting the ground with a thud. She whimpered and rubbed her nose gently before rising up again. Why did the tree roots always have to act so inconspicuous, being noticed only when someone tripped upon them? To mock you, that's what the girl figured. 

_Even the ravens make fun of me,_ she thought glumly as a flock of them cawed at her from the treetops. She knew they were laughing at her, she knew they had seen her trip.

Whimpering to herself in shame, she continued wandering the forest, briefly running a hand through her now tangled red hair. She twirled a finger around a black streak dully.

It wasn't fun for an eleven-year-old to be exiled by herself with no one to go to.

* * *

**A/N: First chapter, bam. Sorry if it's rather boring and short; it's a first chapter, after all, I guess. **

**And I'm withholding the name of the baby until IT is actually born. Not to torture, but hey...**


	2. An Intruder On Santor Grounds

"Are you_ sure_ that's what she looks like?" the woman hissed edgily, leaning forward. Her ice-blue eyes rippled with keen interest.

The little boy nodded shyly. "Yeah. She saved our clan more than half a year ago. We call her the Mistress Of Lightning, or Larxene."

So that's what she's called now: _Larxene_. After all these years of trying to track that woman down, she was in this realm. Fate must be on her side, she figured as she grinned haughtily. "Can you tell me where she is?!" she asked urgently, grabbing the random boy's shoulders roughly.

The boy bared his teeth instinctively; Santor cubs did not like to be touched by strangers when their parents were not around. He gave a warning growl, and this only infuriated the woman. Pushing her jet-black hair out of her face, she pressed, "Where is Larxene?!"

"Hey, you!" a voice called. A mud-brown wolf was racing toward the pair, a much younger yellow one at his side.

The woman stood her ground, but let go of the boy. When the wolves reached them, the brown one seemed to stand on its hind legs, until there now stood before the woman a man. His hair was the color of mud, the same shade as the wolf he had been a second ago. His golden eyes were wary as he observed the stranger.

"What were you doing with this boy?" he asked, shoulders squared.

"I was simply asking him a question," she responded coldly. "He was alone, and I assumed he was lost."

"Well, he is obviously not," the man growled. "And I can smell a lie, woman, so don't try it. Leave."

The woman looked as if she were to protest, but obviously thought better of it when she saw the three-on-one odds. "Fine," she snapped, and tread backwards through a red-and-gold portal, the swirling shadows engulfing her until it disappeared altogether.

The man stood staring at that same place for a while until the yellow wolf trotted up to the boy who had been interrogated. "What'd she _really_ say, Kumer?"

Kumer replied, "She was asking about Larxene."

The yellow wolf shifted as well, and looked up at the man. "Hear that?" the boy said, his blue eyes glittering.

"Yes, I did, Strafe," the man answered as the winds picked up, ruffling his hair. "And I don't like it. You noticed how she looked. She obviously meant some sort of harm."

"Stok?" Kumer asked. "Did I do something bad?"

Stok kneeled in front of the little boy. Ruffling Kumer's brown-black hair, Stok reassured, "Of course you didn't. But I'd like for you to go back to the castle now, okay?"

Kumer nodded.

"And tell Creena that Strafe and I are going to scout the forests for any intruders." His eyes softened more. "If you're polite, maybe she'll let you see her kit."

Kumer's eyes lit up at that. "Okay!" He shifted, his impressionable panther form now running furiously across the small stretch of grassy plain to Santor Castle.

"Are we really going to scout the forests?" Strafe asked as he shifted into his wolf skin once more, trotting beside the still-human substitute leader.

"Of course, Strafe!" Stok answered. "We need to check if there are any more intruders, or if that woman is still around."

"We should tell Larxene and Axel later," Strafe suggested as Stok shifted as well. "I think they should know about this, if that woman was looking for Larxene."

"You're right," Stok relented. "But not now, okay?" The two wolves sniffed the nearby trees for any other scents. "We'll make plans to see the Organization, but later."

With that last part, the pair did a reconnaissance of their forests.

* * *

Larxene rubbed her stomach gently as she read the thick novel. The warmth of the fire warmed her almost as much as the blanket she had around her. She humbly turned the next page; inside, she was quivering with excitement for the book she was almost finished with. Would the main character die, or live? You couldn't kill off a main character, could you? 

Her thoughts were interrupted when a voice said, "Hey there, preggers."

Larxene stuck out her bottom lip and pretended to pout as she looked over one of the armrests. "Hey there, emo."

Zexion smirked. "Hah. Anyway, anything in particular going on?" he asked as an opening for conversation.

Larxene closed her book for now. "Can't say there is. Just passing the time right now."

"Mm." Zexion walked quietly over to Larxene, and propped himself on the armrest the Nymph had looked over. "I honestly think you'll have a boy," he said after looking at her swollen stomach.

"You think so?" Larxene asked. "Axel thinks I'll have a girl."

"Axel once thought that half of these members were girls from behind," Zexion said, but without scorn. "How can you expect him to know what gender your child will be?" He smirked playfully.

Larxene chuckled. "Hey, give him a little credit. He dared to voice his thoughts out loud about that matter."

"Eh, true," Zexion said. He placed his hand carefully on Larxene's stomach, and held it there for a while, looking deep in thought. The two listened to the flickering of the embers as they danced on the wood. The shadows hugged the two friends, and it was some time before a voice sounded.

"Hey, Zexion?" Larxene asked quietly, almost shyly.

"Yes?"

"There's been something on my mind lately," the Nymph started, looking at his hand, or perhaps her stomach. "And there's one thing I want to know..."

"What is it?" he asked, knowing that it was something big.

"I wanted to know if you would be my child's godfather."

Zexion looked at her immediately at that, his visible silver-blue eye flashing with obvious astonishment. "Me...?" he asked after a while. "But... what about Marluxia...?"

Larxene smiled, already expecting this question. "Marluxia is my brother," she answered softly. "He told me he was perfectly happy playing the role of uncle."

Zexion remained quiet, letting things soak in. Finally he looked down at the swollen stomach. "I... Of course I will. I'm proud to be the godfather."

Larxene smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

* * *

She was hiding now. She had no idea that she was two miles away from Santor Castle. 

But she was aware of the two wolves prowling the grounds.

She rolled in mud to disguise her scent, then hid in a hollow, abandoned den underneath a tree before she was detected. The wolves were still in the distance, from what she could see through the trees. It seemed that they were heading away from her now, and she visibly relaxed, breathing out silently.

When they were completely gone, she waited for a spell longer. After about ten minutes, she crawled out. Locating a stream, she roughly washed away the mud, then crawled out slowly, dripping and cold. Sighing, she shifted for the warmth of fur.

Shaking any remaining droplets of water from her crimson fur, she started to lick herself dry. As she ran her tongue down a black streak on her flank, she wondered how she could ever find a home.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, Zexy is the godfather, and Marly the uncle! **

**And yes, Creena already gave birth. And although she and Larxene got pregnant roughly around the same time, not all pregnancies last 9 months, as you all know. In this case, Creena, a shapeshifter, had a shorter pregnancy span; she gave birth about half a month ago.**


	3. Dreams And Labor

Larxene opened her eyes to find that she was in the middle of one of the City's dark streets. The dripping from a broken gutter, the distant rumble of thunder, the winds whimpering high above, were all familiar to her. She breathed in the cool scents that greeted her, and she slipped her slender hands into her coat pockets.

Wait.

She was wearing her coat?

For the first time since opening her eyes Larxene examined herself: nothing was different save two things. One, of course, was that she was indeed wearing her Organization coat for the first time in months; the other, and more shocking, was that she had a well-muscled but flat stomach once again. There was no unborn child inside.

The Savage Nymph felt her breathing pick up at a faster rate. When had she given birth? When had she even gone into labor? She couldn't remember anything of the sort. So then...

Where was her child...?

Larxene looked around wildly, searching. Surely if she mysteriously winded up here, her child would be here as well? Was that not how dreams worked? Oh yes, half of Larxene knew this was a dream; the other half just wanted to find the baby. The Savage Nymph ran as if her feet had a mind of their own; she seemed to know where she was going. She ran through various puddles, the splashes echoing louder than normal; she passed through the alleys, the walls looking more sinister; she ran under the night sky, the atmosphere above suppressive and tightening.

She stopped of her own volition; she herself seemed to know when to stop. Larxene realized she was in front of Memory's Skyscraper, that massive monument that acted as a guardian for the denizens of the City, watching them. But _only_ watching.

She stood stock still, aware of her heavy breathing, aware of her pounding heart beating the inside ofher rib cage.

Larxene heard pitiful crying that ripped her heart asunder with such violence and anguish, that she nearly wobbled on her feet at the sound.

She tried desperaetly to turn her head, to locate the sound of the infant's cries. But she couldn't; she was frozen in place.

Her eyes were forced to see a small figure approaching. As it stepped slowly through the fog, Larxene saw the figure to be a little girl. Red hair that reminded her of Axel's own, but with darker streaks in the red. What color were they? The girl was still halfway in the fog, and therefore Larxene couldn't see them clearly. Her breath hitched in her throat when the girl looked at her, blue eyes met by... oh so familiar gold... Larxene managed to gasp as the girl move in a scared manner, changing her shape.

Now, in front of Larxene stood a wolf with a lustrous, blood-red coat, black streaks running along her flanks.

"You're dead...," was all Larxene could murmur; her voice itself seemed fleeting.

Before she knew it, another voice crept into her ear.

"I'm behind you."

The female voice was slick with sweet venom, and Larxene shuddered with shock to know that she knew the voice. Someone from so long ago that she barely remembered the shreds of memory that they were in. The voice spoke again.

"I'm going to come in front of you soon enough."

When the woman had first spoken, the wailing of the infant had ceased. Now, things were silent.

Then, a terrible scream exploded from the infant; one of pain.

* * *

In the waking world, Larxene was screaming herself. The scream of the infant had transisted, now being launched from the Savage Nymph. She didn't know how long she had been doing this, but she knew she kept up the noise until someone burst into the room. 

_"Larxene?!"_ Luxord called, confused. Rushing to the pregnant woman, he held her shoulders, and for a second he was at a loss for words as he saw the tears running down her cheeks. The sharp man collected himself, as he always did, and gently shook the Nymph. "Larxene! Wake up! Open your eyes! No one's here!"

Larxene shook her head and panted profusely through her fallen tears. Her blue eyes stretched wide as she took in her surroundings, until they finally landed on Luxord, in which they swam with distress and confusion of her own. "Wha... Wha...?!"

Luxord relaxed his grip. "You were dreaming, I think," the Gambler explained quietly. "I was taking a late-night walk, and I heard you screaming."

Larxene felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. Sighing, she said, "It was just a dream..."

"Would you like to talk about it?" Luxord raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps you'll feel better, hm?"

His voice, so sure and confident, soothed Larxene right now. "Okay."

* * *

Strafe was dreaming about Larxene again. 

He often dreamed about his mother figure; usually they would include Axel, and even other members of the Organization. This time, Strafe was confused in his dream. He knew, in the dream, that Larxene was supposed to be with him. She wasn't. He sniffed the air, but caught no trace of her special scent. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was about to happen to her...

He woke up, his blond eyebrows knitting together in deep thought and concern. Getting up from his bed, he walked to the room connected to his.

Silently opening the door, so as not to disturb Creena's newborn female kit, Strafe whispered, "Stok?"

In a few moments the sleepy Beta was up, blinking sleep from his eyes. His mate beside him stirred drowsily. "Strafe?" Stok whispered in response. "What's the matter? It's late..."

"I know...," Strafe confessed, holding his chest just over his heavily beating heart. "But I... I got a... a _feeling_ about Larxene..."

"What kind of feeling?" Creena asked, looking at Strafe but leaning away from the boy to check on the small basket on the floornext toher side of the bed. Upon seeing that the little bundle was still sleeping soundly, Creena asked quietly, "Strafe? Is there something wrong?"

Strafe shook his head slightly. "N... No, I don't think so. I just have this weird feeling that something's about to happen to Larxene... Something... _big_."

Stok thought hard on the Cub Prince's words. Finally, he whipped his head to Creena. "Larxene's close, isn't she?"

Creena knew what he was talking about; she nodded her head, her golden eyes displaying the fact that she as well was putting two and two together.

Stok silently leaped out of the bed. Slipping into new clothes, he told his mate, "I'll take Strafe with me and drop in, just to check on her."

Creena nodded in understanding. "I'll stay and watch Cher."

Strafe, meanwhile,only paced in circles agitatedly in his wolf skin.

* * *

Luxord knew a lot of things. 

He knew how to haggle to make things cheaper. He knew how to gamble the right way at the right time. He knew what play of words to use when the situation called for it. Hell, he even knew how to get out of anything Zexion tried manipulating the Gambler to do for him.

What he didn't know was... well,what to do when someone goes into labor... and you're the only one around.

* * *

**A/N: I know; about time, huh? Don't worry, everything will fall into place.**


	4. Miracles Can REALLY Hurt Sometimes

Her senses felt nullified and dumb, but at the same time they seemed to grow and expand to blinding, screaming heights. The powerful movements inside her made her want to implode, but at the same time, made her want to give in and let it happen. She wanted to give in to the pain inside her and let this run its course.

But then again, that woudn't be Larxene's style, now would it? 

Of course, all she could do was push forward, while still allowing herself to try and just relax, let things happen...

Luxord wasn't making things any easier, though; the Gambler was, for the first time since he could remember, at a complete loss over what to do. He kept muttering frantic, incoherent words to himself, pacing to and fro in front of the laboring Nymph, holding his head in frantic confusion. _"What do I do? What do I do?__"_ he kept rapidly repeating the question to himself over and over. He snapped his fingers worriedly. "_Help!_ Bloody damn sure I'll go get help!"

He turned to Larxene, who had slumped down the side of her bed, her legs instinctively spreading apart. He bit his bottom lip hard; he felt excruciatingly bad at leaving his poker partner alone like this. "I'll get help, hold on, Larx!"

Larxene couldn't speak at the moment; she threw her head back, putting it against the bed, and moaned in pain.

Luxord cursed at himself. He quickly knelt down, almost falling over himself, and ignored the embarrassment creeping to his cheeks as he stripped Larxene of her bottom clothing. "You okay now?" he asked loudly.

_"What's it look like, you asshat!"_ Larxene managed to shout shrilly. 

Luxord almost stumbled at her retort. Mentally slapping himself, he said, "Right, right, of course. You're in labor!"

_"NO SHIT, YOU MOTHER--"_

"I'll go get help!" Luxord cut her off.

* * *

Zexion sniffed the air as he woke up, out of habit. Most of the members were asleep save a few; Meytha and Demyx were up, and the smell of food was around them; Xigbar was up somewhere in his room; Luxord was up, and near Larxene.

Larxene. Their was a different smell around her. Something different that he couldn't quite put his finger on. He could pick up an emotion made scent exuding off of her, too.

Was she...?

Just before the Cloaked Schemer could try putting his finger on things, Luxord himself burst through a portal. The normally collected man had an erratically disorganized air about him as he panted out, "Larxene!"

Zexion's ears perked. "What about her?" he asked, allowing an edge of worry to sprinkle his voise. 

"She's having the baby NOW!"

_"And you left her unattended!"_

_"Well do you expect ME to deliver her kid?"_ Luxord protested frantically.

"If that's what it takes!" Zexion shouted back. "You shouldn't have left her alone!"

"Bloody hell!" Luxord snapped. "Hurry up and let's go. _You're_ the godfather!"

"_Not_ the midwife!" Zexion snarled, and Luxord stopped badgering the young man then and there about the matter.

* * *

Strafe was bouncing around worriedly in his wolf skin as he came through the Whirlportal that Stok had conjured. "Hurry, Stok, _hurry_!" Strafe called urgently.

"I'm here, I'm here, Strafe," Stok called, rushing through. "Let's go."

The pair ran through Proof Of Existence, all the way into the hallway that led to Larxene's room. Strafe rounded a corner and ran into the knees of an Organization member.

"Who the hell-- Strafe?" the member said. "What are you doing here? That you, Stok?"

"Yeah, Marluxia," Stok replied, holding Strafe steady. "I apologize for the late night intrusion, but Strafe believes that something's happened to Larxene." The Beta's golden eyes were apologetic, but still clouded with worry.

"What, exactly?" Marluxia inquired, allowing a hint of worry and suspicion creep into his voice.

"He doesn't know for sure," Stok said, still holding the squirming Cub Prince. "But if you ask me, I believe it has something to do with Larxene's child..." 

Marluxia didn't need to be told anything else; he immediately summoned his own portal and, calling to the two Santors, went through quickly.

* * *

Axel was stirring unconsciously in his sleep. He was dreaming fleetingly about multiple nonsense things. Finally he woke up, feeling the need to go somewhere; it was just one of those feelings.

Instead, he shook his mane of fire-red hair and slowly walked up to his window, staring into the desolate city below him, the artificial lights glittering like fallen stars. He dwelled on the last dream he remembered that night, in which all he could hear was the first whimperings of a newborn child. In the dream, his heart had swelled with bliss and happiness. Could that have been his own child? If so, perhaps he should tell Larxene about it...

If so, he'd do just that.

* * *

"Would you calm down?" Zexion snapped irritably. "You're making HER worse, you idiot!"

Luxord looked at him, blue eyes indignantly ignited. "What do YOU expect me to do? Have some tea and crumpets right now?"

Zexion rolled his eyes, appalled at the Gambler's fall from calm and collection. Turning back to Larxene, he soothed, "Larxene, hold on. you're nearly there. Just wait a little longer, hm?" The Cloaked Schemer was in front of the Savage Nymph, checking her dilated front once more. In truth, he felt like he was going to faint from the scent of the blood, which was dominating over every other scent around and coming from the Nymph. But he would not allow himself to; he had a duty and an obligation to carry out.

Unless of course Marluxia, her brother-figure, arrived on the scene. And that seemed highly unlikely at this hour of night.

"Larxene-- _holy shit!"_

Or not.

The Graceful Assassin rushed up to the Nymph, still on the floor against her bed, of course. Stok and Strafe were behind the man, and the Beta quickly and instinctively covered Strafe's eyes, to which the boy did not take kindly to."Scoot, Zexion!" Marluxia barked. Marluxia parted Larxene's legs a little wider, and the Nymph continued to pant and occasionally groan. "Steady," Marluxia urged encouragingly. "Easy, sister," he kept cooing to her, stroking her sweat-drenched hair and pale cheek. 

"Can someone get Axel?" Zexion asked snappishly.

Luxord's hand shot up into the air like a rocket... just when Axel himself appeared seconds later through a portal. Luxord whimpered an retracted his hand. 

Axel didn't even speak; right away his eyes found Larxene on the floor, bleeding, a spasm rocking her body lightly. In half an instant he was by Larxene's side, cradling her head and torso carefully in his arms. Weakly, shakily, she put a hand on one of his arms. She eagerly drank in his scent and words, which came so smoothly and comforting from his lips. 

An eternity or two had passed, it seemed. Larxene lost track of how long Marluxia had being soothing her mind while still delivering her child. She lost track of how much Luxord was fretting about all the commotion and how long Zexion had been standing by her, stroking her shoulder. Axel was kissing the top of her head and her cheek, murmuring soft words to her still. Finally, she felt a sudden urge to push for all she was worth and more; she knew this was the final stretch.

The Savage Nymph screamed with the effort, crying out into the no-longer empty night. Her back managed a small arch, and she felt a mass slide from between her legs. Extremely weary, Larxene gasped and panted quietly, her head making impact with her bed again. She could hear a faint whimpering and crying.

Then she heard Luxord's voice, talking eagerly to himself. "Pay up, Meytha; it's a boy!"

"That's the umbilical chord you're looking at, you moron!" Marluxia snapped, holding something gently in his arms, despite his tone.

"Check the damn gender then!" Luxord retorted.

Marluxia grumbled something incoherently as he and Zexion began to clean the child with rags and towels. When the new life was still crying, but clean, Marluxia gently handed the infant to Larxene's own arms. She eyed the baby strangely, while Axel sent a lingering kiss to his lover's cheek. Now he, too, looked at his child, who was barely a few minutes into the world of life. Larxene allowed Axel to hold the child after a few minutes of what she felt to be a strange kind of meeting. 

True to her nature, she muttered to the now quiet child, "You'd better be worth all this pain I just went through..." The Savage Nymph closed her eyes and allowed herself to pass out, embracing the dark, omnipresent blanket of sleepy unconsciousness.

"Oh yes!" Luxord cried triumphantly, in his winning poker voice. "It's a boy still!" 

And of course, Zexion had finally passed out on the floor; all the blood and other scents hadfinally got to the godfather.

* * *

**A/N: Hahah, yep, Mar-Mar took over. Anywho, the name will be given next chapter, as well as more on the two women in Larxene's dream from the last chapter.**


	5. A Strange Alliance

**A/N: Many thanks for everyone's support, first of all. It's really very appreciated. And also, a congratulations to Oathkeepera, who guessed the name of the baby. **

* * *

"I wanna see the baby!" Strafe pouted, folding his arms across his chest. "Why won't you let me see him?!" he demanded again.

Stok smiled patiently and ruffled the boy's sand-blond hair. It had been only a few days since Larxene had given birth, and Stok had to admit, Strafe still hadn't seen the baby boy yet. Larxene still hadn't decided on the name yet, but was actually discussing it with Axel right now.

"Hold on, little Prince," Stok soothed, amused. "They're talking about names right now. I'll take you to see the baby when they've decided on a name, okay?"

"Okay...," Strafe muttered, his shoulders sagged.

"It won't be long," Stok laughed.

* * *

"I think you'll like the name I've thought of for him," Larxene said quietly as she eyed the sleeping infant in the brown basket. Creena, Jink, and of course Cher had dropped by to see the newborn yesterday, and Creena had given the beautifully woven basket as a gift, including a deep purple blanket.

Axel, beside her, nudged her shoulder. "Go on," he said softly.

Larxene took a slow, quiet breath. "I've decided on, well... Roxas."

Axel remained quiet as he continued to look at his lover. "Larxene...," he murmured softly.

"In honor and in memory of your best friend," Larxene replied to him, now looking at the Flurry Of Dancing Flames.

Axel smiled in warm gratitude to her. He looked down at the infant; the child's hair was already a dull red, but he had oddly enough inherited Larxene's pale complexion. Both had seen the infant's eyes as well: a green that would eventually turn brighter, with a sliver of blue beneath each pupil.

"It's a good name," Axel finally replied quietly. To show that he did indeed think so, he kissed Larxene hard on her fine lips, holding her face between his hands.

She snaked her arms around his neck and returned the lip lock just as fiercely. She felt his hands hungrily explore her curvaceous body, stopping at certain places that he knew would send her further into heated ecstasy.

Larxene moaned euphorically, but also regretfully, for she pulled away slowly from the pyro. "Not now," she whispered, her blue eyes flicking to their newborn. "Besides," she said to the disappointed pyro, "we have to tell Strafe the name. I promised him I'd tell him first."

Axel smiled playfully. "Of course. You're right; this isn't the right place and time for you-know-what." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. _"However,"_ he whispered seductively as he rubbed and squeezed between her legs, "how about some time later on tonight?"

Larxene didn't respond with words; rather, she groaned quietly and nodded, moving in to nip his bottom lip.

* * *

"Roxas?" Strafe inquired quietly. "I like that name!" The Cub Prince scampered to the little basket on Larxene's bed, and peered curiously inward to see the recently fed baby. Now Roxas was gurgling happily, and his green eyes were fixed on the older boy. Strafe grinned goofily, the play on his mouth a cross between that of a boy and a silly canine. "You, Roxas," Strafe whispered to the tiny child, "can be my little brother!" Strafe extended an index finger carefully toward Roxas, and the infant only gurgled again.

"I take that as an agreement," Strafe quipped, and laughed gleefully. He turned his head to see Jink crawling up to reach the spot beside the Cub Prince. "He can be my little brother, too!" Jink said, looking fondly at Roxas as if they were indeed close siblings.

"Then we can _all _be brothers!" Strafe proclaimed enthusiastically.

Away from the bed, the group of adults- with one teenager- smiled at the scene. Stok and Creena, Zexion and Marluxia, Axel and Larxene, Meytha and Demyx, were all gathered in a cluster and had been watching the little scene. Now, Creena said, "It seems that Roxas has some playmates for when he's older."

"Cher as well," Larxene replied, observing the little one in Creena's arms, who was smiling passively, golden eyes looking over her mother's shoulder.

"Tell me, Larxene, Axel," Stok said, turning to the pyromancer and the lightning wielder, "is there any particular or special meaning to the name Roxas?"

"Larxene named him," Axel replied, smiling over at the bed, where Strafe and Jink were cooing at the baby. "The first Roxas was my best friend in the realm of the living. He lives with his Somebody now, on a beautiful chain of islands. Destiny Islands."

"So it's in honor of your best friend," Meytha breathed, beside Demyx. "How thoughtful..." The young girl trailed off, smiling at Larxene.

Zexion watched as Marluxia went over to look at Roxas now, and the Schemer turned his gaze to Larxene. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something in the back of her mind was bothering her. He made a mental note to ask her about it later.

* * *

Quite literally, Stok had to drag Strafe away from Roxas, as the boy wasn't quite ready to leave just yet.

"But I haven't told Roxas about the time when Bellacruxia fought Larxene in the alley!" Strafe cried out in protest.

Jink, walking beside the dragged Strafe, said ,"Um, I'm pretty sure Roxas doesn't wanna hear that just yet. Besides, I don't think he'll remember it."

Meytha giggled at the boys as all the Santors made their leave. "C'mon, Demyx," she said, grabbing the musician's hand, "let's get going, too. I'm starving!"

"Sure thing, Mey," Demyx agreed as he kissed her cheek. Leading the way now, the Melodious Nocturne waved and called a catch-you-later to the rest of the occupants.

"Catch you later _before_ or _after _you two make out?" Zexion said airily, smirking.

"I don't see _you _with a girl," Marluxia grinned in the Schemer's direction.

"Hmph. I don't want one."

"Whatever," Marluxia dismissed. "Larx," the Graceful Assassin said, turning to the Nymph. "You want me to take Roxas tonight? It's fine by me. "

Larxene blinked; in whatever way, Marluxia could always hit the spot in an abstract way on what was on her mind. "Actually, yes," she replied. "I need to discuss something with Zexion tonight, then later with Axel, so that'd be a good idea."

Zexion looked at her, the suspicion that something was on her mind after all now confirmed.

* * *

"Something troubles you?" Zexion started off as he got out a comforter from his chest on the floor at the foot of his bed.

Larxene gratefully took the warm blanket, murmuring a thanks. Now comfortable on the velvet chair, she replied, "Just before I went into labor, I had a dream..."

"Oh?" Zexion raised a silver eyebrow and seated himself on the armrest. "Tell me about it, then."

Larxene took a deep breath. "I was in the City. I looked at myself, and my stomach was flat; no child. I ran through the City, and I came to Memory's Skyscraper. I... I heard the crying of a baby, but I couldn't move; I was frozen in place. Then, out of the fog came this girl. She had golden eyes and reddish hair. Then... Then, she changed shape, and she looked just like Bellacruxia, Zexion... She looked just like her in that wolf skin..."

"Do you think this girl actually meant malicious intent?" Zexion asked, his silver-blue eye concerned.

Larxene slowly shook her head. "She looked a bit scared. Nervous and ashamed, even. And then I heard a voice behind me." She shuddered; even now she could recall the voice so precisely.

"What did it say...?"

"_She _said that she was behind me. Then she said that she was going to come in front of me soon enough... And the dream ends with... with this terrible crying from the same baby..." She closed her eyes, and Zexion knew she was honestly spooked at the whole thing. It was so unlike her...

He stroked her hair and murmured, after a long while, "I think I know what this means." When Larxene looked up at him, he said, "The girl who was in front of you is going to come into your life some time soon, or someone like her. It'll be someone who will remind you of someone from the recent past, since she was apparently not far away from you distance-wise. Second, the voice: it'll be someone from your past who you will see again."

"But," Larxene said, "that voice, Zexion. I remember it as someone from my long ago past that I can't really recall who it belonged to... But I do know this: it belonged to someone from my Somebody life. And I didn't like her..."

* * *

The girl wandered aimlessly once more through the forests. She was hungry, tired, cold, and miserable. More so than usual, actually.

"Child," a voice crooned, sweet and concerned. "Why are you so alone?"

The girl looked up, her red hair falling in front of her eyes. She saw a slender woman sitting on a rock nearby, jet-black hair gleaming with shine, quite unlike the girl's own red hair. "I...," she stammered, but couldn't finish the sentence out of shyness.

The woman leapt down from the rock, her ice-blue eyes never leaving the little one. "Would you like me to help you? I can take you under my wing."

"You don't have wings...," the girl replied, confused.

The woman held her impatience behind a mask of amusement. "Silly," she said sweetly. "I meant that I'll take care of you. You probably don't have a home, am I right?"

"No...," the girl said. "Not anymore. I was exiled..."

"Exiled?!" the woman exclaimed. "Oh, we must not have that! Now I will take you! Come, come!" She turned around, summoned her portal, and looked back at the girl, holding out her hand. "I'll give you a home."

The girl began edging forward.

"My name is Mortica," the woman said, her voice like poisoned honey, "and I'll be your new mother." _To get at Larxene faster._


	6. The Joker And The Thief

The urban city was dark with storm clouds and wet with hard rain. Cars raced by, many almost skidding off to the side in their haste to reach whatever destination it was that they were heading to. Pedestrians walked quickly though the sidewalks, some with umbrellas, while some of the unlucky ones went through the torrent of weather unprotected, their clothes clinging to their bodies. Tall buildings scraped the clouds and loomed over the city, while some of the smaller buildings simply stood there, some providing awnings for people to stand under to try and wait out the rain.

A large mansion rested at the southern-most side of a large courtyard in that city. The Gothic design, so sinister and dark, often unnerved the shy and cowardly with its turrets of screaming dragons who were preparing to take flight but frozen. Massive stained glass windows of orange, red, purple, yellow and even black added to the intimidating effect.

Quite out of place in an urbanized city, actually. But the transition between the city and this castle was by no means mediocre. A dark wood separated the two, dead trees reaching out with spindly finger branches, wanting to keep any life form here forever.

_That's where Mortica lives,_ the city dwellers whisper. _She's a witch,_ they say. _Go through those woods to her castle, and you never come back!_

Somebody was recalling those whispers in his head right now, and he was chuckling at their ignorance.

Sure, he had strayed into Mortica's castle; he boasted to himself that he comes in and out all the time. The city folk just don't know that, and they don't have to know, either. Still, he reflected as he ran a hand through his short and spiky, dark lavender hair, the only reason he _can _come in and out was the fact that he now lived here with Mortica. As well as the fact that he was her right-hand man.

He stood in front of one of the windows, looking through to the woods and the somewhat distant city beyond. The rain was only coming down harder, but he could tell that this was the storm's small climax. He sighed briefly; was this all it had to offer? He wished he could see a _real_ storm... One so untamed and wild that it would leave him breathless...

His thoughts distracted him from the approaching woman as she stepped gracefully through the red-and-gold portal. _"Jester!"_ she shouted, after calling his name in a quieter tone a few times.

Jester jumped, his tricolor eyes flashing with surprise.

"Well, hell, Mortica," Jester protested, regaining himself, "what is it?" Then his eyes fell on the girl whose wrist Mortica was holding. He faked a gasp. "I demand a DNA test!" Jester demanded playfully, looking away and putting the back of his hand to his forehead in a dramatic fashion.

Mortica was hardly amused; usually she would tolerate and sometimes even encourage his playful banter with her, but not now. She frowned.

Jester saw this right away. "Alright, alright," he relented. "What's with the kid?"

Mortica lifted her head in a superior fashion, and her ice-blue eyes held brewing triumph. "Remember what I said about Larxene?"

"You mean the chick you sometimes rave on about?" Jester asked, inspecting the red-headed girl from where he was still standing.

"Yes," Mortica answered tightly. "The woman I 'rave on about', as you so say. I have a plan that will finally allow me to thrash her to the ground like she so deserves!"

Jester finally sighed. "All this...," he murmured. "Don't tell me you kidnapped this kid for your own revenge on someone from so long ago, that you haven't seen each other in -what?- almost eight years?"

Mortica sniffed angrily. "Of course I didn't steal her," she snipped. "I found her wandering the forests in some world."

"Even so," Jester sighed, his eyes glancing back to the window, where the rain was finally relenting.

"Even so, what?" Mortica pressed.

Jester laughed, the deep rumble in his throat always familiar to Mortica. "I mean," he said, "that you need to learn to let go. Get yourself a man and maybe start a family, eh?" He waggled his eyebrows playfully.

Mortica narrowed her eyes to slits of blue ice. "Well, I certainly won't find any of that from _you."_

"Oy," Jester sighed. His blue, green, and purple eyes flicked to the girl, who was not at all paying attention to the two adults' conversation; rather, she was peering at everything around her from where she was standing. "Something tells me that you haven't even asked her name yet," Jester concluded lightly, purposefully changing the subject. He sauntered over and kneeled down before the girl. "Hey, little tyke," Jester greeted, a playful yet feral grin on his fine features. "What's your name?"

For the first time the young girl looked at the jestful man. "Oh, my name's Sinka."

Jester smiled. "The name's Jester," he announced, ruffling her hair. "You'll love it here, I'm sure. That is, if you can get past all the creepy-looking crap around here!"

"_You _live with all this 'creepy-looking crap', too!" Mortica snapped.

* * *

"Who's a crazy baby, huh? Who's a crazy baby?"

Roxas gurgled at the Freeshooter as the man dangled one of his large sniper guns above the baby. "I'll let you hold it," Xigbar said slyly, "but you gotta learn how to use it. I'll teach you when you're older."

"Then in the meantime," Zexion said from where he was sitting, "quit dangling the gun in front of his face. Who the hell only knows if you'll let it slip!"

Xigbar looked over his shoulder at the Schemer, but nonetheless retracted his sniper weapon. "Sheesh," he scoffed lightly, "don't be such a tightwad!"

"Don't be such an idiot, then," Zexion returned, still laying on his bed and turning the page of a book.

Xigbar rolled his yellow-gold eyes. "Here, then," he said loftily. He gingerly picked up the basket and carefully set it next to Zexion, who looked down at the child. "I'm off!" the Freeshooter called, turning and waving his hand.

After Xigbar had indeed stepped through a portal, Zexion grunted and turned another page. Roxas heaved a tiny yawn, closing his eyes tightly and trying to ball his fists. "Tired?" Zexion asked quietly. He set down his book and stroked the baby's cheek with an index finger. Roxas took gentle hold of it and tightened his grip somewhat.

The godfather smiled to himself. He moved his finger left and right gently until Roxas finally let go. The Cloaked Schemer ran two fingers along Roxas's soft red hair; he briefly mused on how the hair would eventually -and most likely- rise into spikes when the infant got older. Zexion lifted Roxas' deep purple blanket and tucked the child in.

When Roxas indeed fell asleep, Zexion stroked his godson's cheek with a finger tenderly.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter was mainly about Jester and Mortica- the joker and the thief. But I still wanted to include some Organization.**


	7. Sinka's First Lesson, Kind Of

The wind was so delicate and so barely stirring, that Larxene decided that Roxas could tolerate the otherwise still weather. Carrying the infant, who was wrapped up snug and secure in the purple blanket, she walked her way up to the Altar Of Naught. Upon reaching that highest point of the Castle That Never Was, Larxene herself made a slow, long intake of the cool air, so refreshing and relaxing right now. Larxene ran an ungloved finger along Roxas's forehead, and recieved a baby's murmur of humble delight. Larxene looked to the tranquil skies.

_It's different here,_ she mused, holding Roxas to her chest to give extra warmth. _Back in the living realm, you could feel the tension crackle in the air like brittle lightning. A stranger wouldn't feel a moment's peace, always aware that he was hunted here, either by us or by brutal Heartless; we, the hunters. _Then, from there the Savage Nymph's train of thought transisted to a different topic. _But are we still like that: hunters? Or has this realm and our peacefulness dulled our instincts and skills? _She shook her head. _Nonsense. I know perfectly well that we can still fight. And we can damn well still kick ass._

Larxene grinned and looked down at her son. _You give me a new purpose and responsibility,_ she thought. _No longer is it always myself now. My life came out of me in the form of you. You come first before all else now. I find that I don't resent that; is this because of the mother's instinct? All the same, now I must make sure to continue salvaging my instincts and never allow my skills to dull. _

Roxas reached up with an uncertain hand to touch Larxene, who smiled. The Nymph locked her eyes with that of Roxas', the slivers of blue amidst the pools of green. Larxene felt her eyes soften into gentleness as Roxas gurgled happily.

* * *

Mortica's eyes flashed in delight as Sinka loped over to her. "Good," the woman encouraged sweetly. "Show me your teeth."

Sinka obediently curled her lip to reveal ivory teeth, canines almost shimmering by the light of the stained-glass windows. When Mortica asked to see her stride, Sinka complied. Mortica asked to observe her paws, and Sinka lifted her paw to be examined.

"The hell?" Jester called as he tinkered with a smoke bomb of his creation. "First I thought you were playing dentist; then I thought you were a horse trainer; and now you're a fricken' veterinarian?!"

"Perhaps," Mortica smirked, "I'll take _you_ to a vet. Get you neutered."

Jester gasped, mortified. "No!" he protested. "Don't restrain me from passing on my dashing good looks!"

"With all the opportunities you've taken with women in the city," Mortica spat playfully, "I'm surprised your good looks_ haven't_ been passed on yet!"

"That smarts, Mortica," Jester replied lightly, grinning. "But seriously, what are you doing?"

Mortica trained her gaze on Sinka, who was snapping at her own tail. "Just assessing her," the woman answered simply. "Seeing where she's at."

Jester nodded. "Uh...huh. I don't really get it, but I got it."

* * *

Axel traced Roxas's hairline slowly, so as not to disturb the infant, whom the pyro had just put to sleep. The Flurry Of Dancing Flames gently kissed the child's cheek before rising from his bed to slink silently through a portal to retrieve Marluxia, who had insisted that he himself watch the baby. He knew Axel would want to see Larxene. With only his head through the portal now, Axel called Marluxia's name, in the Graceful Assassin's room.

"Axel?" came the voice. Marluxia approached Axel from the side, and the Assassin said cordially, "Is Roxas asleep, then?"

Axel nodded. "Do you still wanna watch him?"

"Of course," Marluxia responded, and followed Axel back through the portal.

"I've been with him all day," Axel told Marluxia fondly. "Well, a few hours, actually, but you get the idea." The pyromancer smiled down at the slumbering Roxas, then turned to walk through a new portal.

Marluxia watched until Axel was completely gone. Turning back to look at the baby who was practically his nephew, Marluxia sat on the bed next to him. Red petals floated down serenely into Roxas's basket, and Marluxia smiled contentedly.

* * *

Axel cupped her face, almost roughly, and kissed her hard. He felt her lift a slender leg and wrap it tightly around his waist. The pyro traced his fiery tongue eagerly, asking, almost begging, for entrance. When she opened her mouth, he made quickly to explore once more every inch he could get. Her arms and hands pulled him closer to her, and Axel lifted her other leg to wrap it around himself. Now he was holding both of her legs, and she was pressed up against the wall, moaning between kisses as he ran himself up and down against her shirtless body. Her arms now lay slack around Axel's neck as the pyro suckled the flesh of her left breast just above the lace bra, stimulating more noise from her.

Larxene panted his name in whispers of intense arousal. She tightened her legs on his waist, and Axel produced a noise that was a cross between a grunt and an exhale. She felt his hand trace up her back until her bra clip was located; when it was unclipped, Axel left it up to Larxene to decide if she wanted to keep it on or not. Her senses were aflame with passion and desire, and it was evident in every movement the former Nobody made on the pyromancer.

Larxene gasped when she felt Axel nip a certain tender yet hard part of her left breast. She felt Axel shifting, lifting her higher until her legs rested on his shoulders. She looked down at his grinning face, his emerald orbs striking her own electric blue. Her legs were still being held by Axel, but she managed to spread her legs apart anyway, as well as pull down her pants' zipper. The Nymph threw her head back, closed her eyes, and rocked her hips slowly back and forth against Axel's mouth.

Larxene moaned and panted the whole time, barely aware of her surroundings. It seemed neither too long nor too short when Axel withdrew; he carefully set his lover down, but she dragged him with her as she slumped to the ground.

"Come 'ere," Larxene whispered enticingly. The seductive look in her eyes tempted Axel to just pin her to the floor and entwine his body with hers. Nevertheless, the Flurry Of Dancing Flames edged closer to Larxene, and the Nymph claimed his mouth once more. Axel felt himself being pushed to the ground roughly, and when Larxene pulled away, blue eyes rushing with arousal and the want to mate, the pyro said huskily, "Aren't _we_ naughtly today, huh, Larxene? Not even waiting to get to the bed?"

She licked Axel's lips before replying with, "Screw the bed right now."

"But you're screwing _me, _not the bed...!" Axel responded humorously. "The bed has _nothing_ on me."

"I know all too well," Larxene murmured suggestively before straddling his hips after working with his bottom half of clothing.

"You know," Axel rumbled as he teased her mouth with his finger, "we have an albeit small history of being walked in on."

Larxene rolled her eyes playfully. She nipped his toying finger, and said, "Oh yes, Roxas is going to miraculously learn to _walk_ right now, and _walk_ in on us."

"It could happen," Axel jested as Larxene slipped off the rest of her clothes.

"Shit happens, Axel," Larxene murmured softly as she prepared to descend.

* * *

Jester pulled out the undergarments from the dresser. "These, little one," he said to Sinka in a parodic tone of a serious mentor, "are womens' _underwear_. You'll wear kinds like these when you're way older."

"Whose are those?" Sinka asked curiously.

"Oh, they're Mortica's," Jester replied, nonchalant. He stretched the purple-and-black underwear piece and fit it onto Sinka's head. "But for someone _your_ age," Jester laughed, "they make a great hat!"

Sinka giggled, while Jester fished out what appeared to be another pair of underwear of the same type, only baby blue. The two heard approaching footsteps, but it was too late when the door opened.

"Jester, there you are-- JESTER!"

"Ah, now hold on, _Amore_," Jester said hastily, using his nickname for Mortica. Holding his hands up in front of himself, Jester backed away cautiously while Sinka scratched at the underwear on her head idly. "Don't be so rash on little Sinka here. She's learning!"

_"Learning?!"_ Mortica howled indignantly. "When I said to teach her some things, I didn't mean teach her how to panty raid!"

"She's not panty-raiding!" Jester shouted indignantly, to by himself some time while he fished in his pockets. "I'm just showing her what she'll have to wear when she gets older!"

"IF she gets older when I'm done with the both of you!"

"Sinka," Jester called, immediately earning the girl's attention, "close your eyes!" And Jester pulled out his hand, which held a single die. He flung the six-sided gambling object straight to the ground, and it exploded into a thick purple smoke screen, clouding everywhere.

Mortica was unprepared for the surprise, and was coughing profusely as Jested grabbed Sinka's hand and darted away to somewhere safe. Quite presumably, Jester's room.

* * *

**A/N: It only SEEMS like Jester and Mortica goof around all day, all the time...**


	8. Love And Lust

Larxene opened her eyes sleepily upon hearing the quiet knock on her door. She was curled around Roxas' sleeping form, like a mother cat to their kit, the baby resting next to her stomach in a loose ball. "Come in," Larxene called softly.

The door opened, and Larxene was puzzled to see Xemnas step through. "Good evening, Larxene," he greeted, aware of the slumbering child. "May I have a seat?"

"Uh, sure." Larxene moved her legs, and Xemnas seated himself on that spot on her bed. "Is there something going on?" she asked once he had made himself comfortable.

"No," he answered. "I just... wanted to check on you." When the Savage Nymph raised an eyebrow, Xemnas let his amber gaze trail to Roxas. "As well as your son."

"Oh." For a moment Larxene was at a loss for words. Then, "He's doing just fine, actually. He's almost a month old now." Larxene smiled warmly down at Roxas, allowing her slender fingers to stroke his cheeks softly. "He hardly ever cries, actually; he's quite the quiet one. But when you look into his eyes, Xemnas, you see such intrigue for what's all around him. Boundless curiousity. There's something else in his eyes... Something I can't quite put my finger on... It's something soft and untouchable to me... What is it?"

"Could it be the innocence that we, as adults, seem to have lost?" Xemnas asked solemnly, looking at Larxene.

When the Savage Nymph looked at him in intrigue, she said, "I suppose it is. I mean, maybe we ourselves looked this way when we were infants, with not a care in all the worlds. But as we grew and matured, slowly that innocence dwindled, because of the actions we commited." Her blue eyes glittered with intelligence as they searched the Superior's orange ones, hoping to glean whatever was in that gaze. "Is that why so many adults are so fascinated with infants, even though they're not conscious of it?"

Xemnas smiled. "It could be that," he replied. "But some are so fascinated with them because they are -how do they put it?- _cute_."

Larxene laughed as Roxas began to stir.

* * *

"I know everything about Bellacruxia," Mortica said smoothly, "as well as what happened to her."

Jester walked over to the counter as he grunted for Mortica to continue.

"She was the Queen, the Aplha female, to a pack of pure-blooded shapeshifters known as the Santors. The same family as Sinka."

"And," Jester said casually, raising a purple eyebrow, "you knew that before you got Sinka?"

"Yes," Mortica said, straightening herself as Jester walked past her to another kitchen counter. "I was told the story by various shapeshifters who were there during multiple parts of the entire thing. Piece everything together, and you know everything that happened."

"Mm-Hm...," Jester mumbled, focusing his tricolored eyes on her as a sign to continue while he sipped his drink.

"Anyway," Mortica said, and, crossing her legs on the bar stool, began telling Jester the events revolving around Bellacruxia, her son Strafe, her mate Ranik, the rebellion she had discovered against her, her suicidal death, and especially Larxene's involvement. "Apparently," Mortica said after the long explanation on the whole story, "Larxene is with this group who call themselves the Organization. Sound like a ragtag bunch of rogues, if you ask me."

"Well," Jester said coolly, "it seems that this 'ragtag bunch of rogues' has a woman you despise, who happened to ultimately lead Bellacruxia to her suicidal demise." His eyes hardened on Mortica. "How much does Sinka know?"

"I've already interrogated Sinka on how much she knows," Mortica replied, her voice like silk, "and she knows nothing of this. She was exiled by Bellacruxia herself some years before; I think it was two years ago that she was exiled, actually. Therefore, Sinka knows nothing of Bellacruxia being dead."

"Why was she exiled?"

"Sinka said that Bellacruxia told the Pack that she -Sinka- wanted to overthrow Bellacruxia when she got older and the Alpha Queen got old_er_. Bellacruxia and a few of her followers chased her away from the Santor Castle."

"Pfft," Jester scoffed. "I think Bellacruxia was talking empty."

"All the same," Mortica said, smirking, "Sinka is in my hands now. And I shall use her to my advantage against Larxene. Think of her reaction when she sees the spitting image of her dead enemy! She'll be caught off guard, and I'll finally take her!"

"Take her _down?"_ Jester grinned, raising an eyebrow again. "Or take her _home?"_

Mortica flung a coffee mug at the joker's head.

* * *

"Xaldin!" Meytha crooned. "Smile for baby Roxas! C'mon, just a crack?"

Xaldin stared at Meytha incredulously as the young girl held Roxas up a few feet from his face. Roxas looked as if he couldn't care less if Xaldin smiled or not; he just wanted to grab the Whirlwind Lancer's sideburns. Roxas cooed and gurgled as he clenched his fists repeatedly, intent on grabbing hold of the thick tufts of hair.

"Smile, dammit!" Meytha urged, feigning a frown.

"No."

* * *

"Hey, Lexaeus! You can use Roxas as a weight!"

"Meytha, I don't feel inclined to do that..."

"He'll be fine!" Meytha urged, her dark green eyes sparkling. "Right, Roxas?"

Roxas only frowned.

The Silent Hero sighed and picked up Roxas gingerly with both hands. He lifted him up once, then placed the now-squealing-with-delight infant back into Meytha's arms. "There," he said stolidly.

"Where's the new muscles that are supposed to appear?" Meytha grumped.

* * *

"You're a horrible influence," Luxord marveled, "you know that?"

"Dude," Meytha persuaded, placing Roxas in the middle of the table, "if I lose him in the poker game, he'll just go to you, right? So he's technically not going anywhere."

Luxord shook his head sadly, but nonetheless began the game... and won. Of course. "Now hand over the infant," Luxord said, holding out his hand.

Meytha giggled, embarrassed as she scooted Roxas across the poker table to Luxord.

"_I'll_ take him, thank you very much."

Luxord and Meytha looked up, and the latter's eyes widened at the sight of the father scoop up his son from Luxord's open hands.

Meytha scratched the back of her head nervously. "You know I wouldn't have done that _for real_, Axel," Meytha reassured, dark green eyes meeting emerald ones.

Axel smirked slyly as he inspected Roxas. "Oh, I know, Mey'," he answered. "It's okay. Here, you can have him again; I was just checking up on him." The pyro handed the baby back to Meytha somewhat too willingly. "Bring him back soon," Axel said, winking, and sauntered through a portal; Luxord, who had caught onto things quickly as always, followed suit.

"What the hell...?" Meytha breathed. She turned to Roxas. "Whadja make of that--" Meytha sniffed the baby "--Oh, Axel, _you_--" Meytha sat, wrapped her arms around Roxas's ears, and yelled _"--you dirty, sneaky bastard! C'mon! I save your ass from Heartless back when we were alive, and you repay me with a DIRTY DIAPER?! Cold, man! COLD!"_

* * *

"That's right, Sinka," Mortica said to the teary-eyed girl. "Bellacruxia is dead. Killed, actually. I'm terribly sorry..."

Jester, standing behind Sinka, leaned against the black marble wall and only stared at Mortica. Blue, green, and purple struck ice-blue for an instant.

"Who killed her...?" Sinka asked, trying to wipe her eyes.

"The very woman I'm trying to find as well," Mortica said smoothly, kneeling in front of Sinka. "Her name is Larxene. She came one day and killed her on the spot. She is not to be trifled with, but if you and I work _together_, we can bring her down."

_Mortica,_ Jester thought as he parted his lips slightly to trace his tongue over his sharp canine teeth, _you only know the meaning of together with ME! ...Don't you? You don't care about this girl; you just want to use her because she looks so much like Bellacruxia: Larxene's former enemy. You care only about your revenge, and you will twist the truth to this girl to see it a reality_. The young man pushed himself off the wall, prepared to leave; he felt the need to change. But not here: Mortica and Sinka were in front of him; he didn't want to accidentally hurt either female.

"Where are you going, Jester?" Mortica asked icily.

"Out to run," Jester responded without turning his head. He managed to suppress the hungry gleam in his eyes as he turned his head. He winked at Mortica and said, "Don't worry, _Amore_. I'll be back before bedtime, if you know what I mean..." He licked his upper teeth as he grinned, coyote fashion, narrowed eyes glittering.

Mortica bristled. "Bullshit," she replied. "You stay in your own room, you." Yet on the inside, Mortica was slightly at unease; it was always around this time that Jester development a quieter and more serious mood that sometimes reared itself. But that wasn't what set her at unease; what did was the fact that, also around this time, Jester developed a lustful attraction to Mortica. She was quite used to his normal, playfully romantic banter with her; she was also used to this lusty side of him. The two weren't in a romantic relationship of any kind, and it almost made Mortica uncomfortable when Jester gave her hungry looks that suggested he wanted to do something physical with her. She was too proud to let him have his way with her this way; not while he was in those monthly moods. She told him to satisfy his lust elsewhere: the city.

"Mortica?"

Mortica realized she had been staring at the hallway that Jester had gone through. She blinked and looked back at Sinka. "Did you say something?" she asked, quickly regaining her composure.

"You did," Sinka replied quietly. "You said you wanted to work together."

"Oh yes," Mortica smiled. She took Sinka's hand. "Together," she said steadily, "you and I will kill Larxene and avenge your dear sister's death."

* * *

Jester ran on frantically through the dead wood. He panted heavily as he ran on ever faster, the ground thudding with his every step. The stray branches whipped him as he ran on, but he knew he wouldn't find the scratches in the morning. His skin prickled as his body felt feverish and clammy. He ran even faster. He wanted to get as far away from that castle as he could. And Mortica.

He felt ashamed at his rudely lustful behavior toward her during this time of his. But he couldn't help it; it was in his nature. He knew that, yes, but he still despised it because he felt that Mortica would scurry away from him friendship-wise. His chest was pounding, but it hurt all the more because it felt squeezed and smothered. His heart clenched emotionally when he viewed the possibility that he would one day hurt Mortica.

He growled as he pushed on, knowing he'd return to her in the morning.

He always did.

* * *

**A/N: Jester. He and this condition of his will actually play a big part in the story later on.**


	9. There To Kill

**A/N: First off, before we begin this chapter, I'd like to thank RoxRox for her lovely picture of Larxene and baby Roxas. Really, I love it. It's posted on DeviantArt, under her name rox4eva. Please check it out some time!**

* * *

Jester stumbled through the back door that led to the kitchen. He stood, rooted under the threshold, as his panting evened into regular breathing patterns. Leaving the maze-like garden behind him, the young man loped forward in an uncertain gait until he reached a kitchen counter. There he fumbled sleepily for something to drink. Scotch? Maybe vodka? Or how about that fiery whiskey he bought last week? He realized he didn't care; he just wanted something that would jolt his senses.

"Have a good run?" came the guarded voice.

Jester started jerkily but nonetheless turned around. "The usual," he replied quietly, fixing himself something heavy to drink.

Mortica eyed the mixture of alcohol. "I hate that awful habit of yours that you develop around this time," she managed to say, her tone hardened. "Getting drunk off your ass and making an absolute fool of yourself before passing out on me. I hate it." Normally, they would share a drink, and Jester would know his limits; the same went for Mortica herself. But at times like now, Jester would consume as much as he could, slurring vulgar and sometimes crude sexual comments about girls and even Mortica. She hated it, but she didn't hate Jester.

Jester's lips had barely touched the rim of his glass when she said that. "I do, too," he agreed softly, regretfully, before he took a slow slip. He looked at her once more, and he felt that desire rolling around in his chest, trying to flatten the genuine affection and friendship he truly felt for her. His shaky hand fought with his other side, but at last he dropped the glass into the sink, where the contents poured down into the sink. He hated this time of the month, where his other side clawed to come out and make itself known to the worlds; it affected his personality, almost dominating it at times, pitting Jester's carefree and fun-loving attitude against its own ruthless, lustful, and blood-yearning nature.

"Jester...?" Mortica asked warily, feeling the hair on her neck rise. Her fingers flexed in defense.

Jester turned around, all smiles. "Yeah, _Amore?_ Don't tell me that the alcohol's gonna stain your sink, eh?" He chuckled lightly, humorously.

Mortica heaved a sigh of relief, but she was still on edge; no telling what mood Jester would be in during this time. She knew of his condition, yes, but still...

* * *

"Now, Sinka," Mortica commanded. "Kill this rabbit."

Sinka tilted her head curiously as Mortica lifted the door to a sort of large rabbit hutch fit for one. A single white rabbit occupied the wooden structure, and it pressed itself fearfully against the darkest corner, trying to flatten away from the blood-red wolf in its vision. Mortica's hand reached inside to grab the pitiful thing by its scruff; she held it in the air in front of Sinka's quivering nose.

"Yes," Mortica encouraged. "See the way it quivers in terror? It _knows _you are the stronger one. Take advantage of it's fear; turn it into your strength and use it to kill!" Her ice blue eyes shimmered commandingly.

Sinka's tail swished left and right, until she moved to a hunter's crouch, to which Mortica dropped the rabbit. It's legs pumped before it even hit the ground, and the terrified creature took off running. Sinka's hunting instinct kicked in, and she was off, chasing the prey down. Through the caged meadow the two went, until the rabbit pumped out more energy; Sinka pushed herself harder to catch this prey. To please her hunger... and Mortica.

Mortica chuckled darkly just as Jester sauntered into the garden. "Looks yummy," he commented.

"Screw off," Mortica growled.

"I was talking about the rabbit," Jester pointed out, to which Mortica flushed in embarrassment. He leaned forward as Sinka began closing in on the rabbit. _"GO, GO,_ _GO, KID!"_ he cheered. _"CATCH THAT DINNER-WITH-LEGS!"_

Mortica rolled her eyes when she and Jester heard a dying squeal. Their eyes pinpointed the spot where Sinka was crouched over, a white bundle of fur in her jaws, spiky and wet with blood. Sinka lifted her head, proud of her catch, her golden eyes gleaming with childish delight.

"Excellent!" Mortica cried, approaching the shapeshifter. "Now give me the rabbit." Before Sinka could respond, Mortica took the rabbit out of the girl's muzzle.

"But aren't I going to eat it?" Sinka asked innocently, tilting her head to the side.

"Of course not!" Mortica replied sharply. "This thing was just here to practice your killing efficiency, which is quite good for someone like you."

Jester's tri-colored eyes flashed. Food should never go to waste like that; besides, that rabbit should at least serve as a reward for Sinka doing so well on her first try. His orbs of blue, green, and purple followed the limp thing as it was tossed to the side like a rag doll.

"Did you feel the power welling up inside of you?" Mortica asked in Sinka's ear.

Sinka's ear twitched as the question crept into her mind. "I felt something...," she answered slowly. "Something that made me feel faster... Stronger... Like I couldn't be stopped..."

"Eh," Jester grinned comically, "must be indigestion."

Mortica shot him a glare.

* * *

Creena crooned softly to Roxas as the baby giggled and tried once again to grab the female's waggling finger in front of his face. "Ooo!" Creena said. "Almost, Roxas!" She giggled again as Roxas gurgled in response, frowning; his idea of a pout.

"Let him win, Creena!" Jink protested lightly, beside the female. "Let him enjoy a catch, instead of disappointing him!"

"Oh?" Creena raised an eyebrow at her younger brother. "And all of a sudden you know these things?" Her golden eyes gleamed with innocent amusement.

"Yeah," Jink answered, as if this were the most simple thing in all the worlds. "Here, watch the big brother do it!" The auburn-haired child dangled a finger close to Roxas's fingers. Roxas, frowning in concentration, seized Jink's finger before it could retreat, which it wouldn't have in the first place. "There you go, Roxas!" Jink cheered. "Now uh, leggo." Jink tugged ever so gently, but Roxas kept a firm hold, keen on not letting go of his catch. "Uh, I don't wanna force my finger out; don't wanna hurt you..." Jink was at a loss over what to do, and he felt Creena's amused smile warming his back. "C'mon, Roxas...," Jink said slowly, tugging again. Roxas smiled a baby's smile and held on. "Please?" Jink begged.

Behind Creena and Jink, the two adults stood together, their shoulders touching. They leaned against the wall, smiling, also amused at the scene on Roxas's mother's bed.

Axel grinned. "Poor Jink seems at a loss over what to do," he commented to his lover.

Larxene grinned devilishly, proud of her son. "Worse than the Chinese Finger Trap you and Xigbar got stuck in during that fix in the Land Of Dragons."

Axel frowned playfully, muttering something about a little red dragon trying to burn their feet while they were still in the trap.

If you can imagine _that_.


	10. And We Light Up The Sky

**A/N: Thanks goes to RoxRox for drawing another picture from BlazeBlitz. Check it out on her DA account! It's about the finger-trap incident that Axel and Larxene were talking about in the last chapter. Thanks, RoxRox! I really appreciate it!**

* * *

Zexion stared steadily into his fireplace, the embers licking hungrily at the fresh wood. His thoughts had trailed to the woman Larxene had spoken of a few weeks ago, and he allowed himself to dwell on this woman who was supposedly about to reappear in Larxene's life after so long. Who was she? How much trouble would she bring? Was she alone? What were her intentions, after all this time? He had asked Larxene about her a few days ago, but Larxene couldn't even recall the name of this woman; she couldn't even remember what this woman looked like...

He couldn't shake off the feeling that soon, things would take a drastic change...

* * *

"Sinka," Mortica whispered, "you are soon about to help me destroy your sister's murderer. But first, we must further sharpen your hunting instincts and killing prowess."

The two, along with Jester, had come to Hollow Bastion; Sinka was to have another lesson. Jester had trailed off shortly after arriving. Now, the two females were in a dark and grimy alley, where Mortica was spying on a mangy dog nosing through a trash can. "Look at that thing," Mortica spat quietly. "Reducing itself to settle for trash as food! Sinka, kill it; it's obviously not important!"

Sinka's golden eyes flashed with brief indecision, until she shifted into her wolf-skin. Her red pelt was quite noticeable as the she-wolf slunk along her belly stealthily. Her streaks were as black as the shadows that clung to the close walls around her.

The dog's scraggly ears perked, and it lifted its head. When it spotted Sinka, its lips curled back menacingly to reveal broken teeth. "Back off," he growled. "My food."

Sinka lifted a paw, uncertain for a split second. Then, the mental image of Mortica flashed in her mind; Sinka wanted to please her. The she-wolf flashed her own finely white teeth at the vagrant stray. She could see the dog's brown eyes flicker with unease, and she knew he was afraid. Sinka growled as she prowled forward, the dog scooting back, unnerved. Her teeth clicked together loudly as she nipped near his chest. A whimper escaped from the stray's throat as he backed up unwittingly against a cold, stone wall. Sinka took her opportunity.

She lunged with a growling roar, and her jaws made jarring impact around his throat. Sinka felt automatic; her jaws closed quickly, like a steel trap, around the throat, and she felt blood course through her mouth, as if from a broken dam.

Bellacruxia's sister heard Mortica exclaim in praise, and the girl's tail wagged slowly.

* * *

Axel walked along the cobbled streets of the cold, rundown world that had once radiated with granduer. He had no particular aim; he just felt a tugging in his chest that told him he needed to get out for a while. The pyromaniac grinned to himself as he came across a bar, active with occupants. Coming in, he quickly found himself a seat at the bar, between an unconscious drunk and a young man sipping a drink of his own.

Axel waited coolly for the bartender; when he arrived, the pyro asked for a shot of brandy exclusive only in this world.

Quickly draining the small glass, Axel heard the man next to him chuckle. "Better watch it, man," the stranger warned humorously. "Keep takin' _those_ ones like that, and you'll likely burn your stomach from the inside."

Axel smirked at this stranger. "Oh, believe me," he returned. "I don't burn."

He raised a purple eyebrow. "That so?" Axel noticed that this man had an unusual eye color: they were twinkling with blue, green, and purple. Axel had never seen eyes like those before. The man spoke again. "All I'm saying is be careful, fire-crotch."

Axel frowned at the comment, but his eyes sparked with amusement. "Your concern touches me deeply; perhaps it's the _only_ touching you're able to do?"

Axel grinned at the man's own frown. "That smarts," the stranger returned, changing his frown to a sardonic grin. "Oh, you're real funny, you. I feel like we can be good friends."

"Really?" Axel said lazily.

"The oddest and most unpredictable friendships are always struck up at a bar," the young man grinned, holding out a hand. "Your name?"

Axel threw a cocky grin. "The name's Axel." He put his index finger to the side of his head, leaned forward a bit, and said, "Got it memorized?" through his smirk.

The stranger retracted his untouched hand and smiled devilishly as well. "Clever," he commented. "My name is Jester, that handsome devil you'll not be able to forget."

* * *

Roxas stirred, yawning, in his basket, as Xigbar crooned gently to the baby. "Wake up, crazy baby," Xigbar said softly, smiling. "Grandpa Xiggy has your bottle." He dangled the said bottle in front of the waking child's face. Roxas gurgled hungrily as he saw his milk in front of his face, and smiled as Xigbar put the bottle into the boy's mouth. Roxas suckled greedily, trying to take as much as he could, as fast as he could. "It's not like I'm gonna try and steal your bottle, dude," Xigbar reassured. "I prefer scotch."

"Something he won't have anytime soon," came a crisp voice.

"Chill, Lar-Lar," Xigbar responded. "I won't let him have ANY alcohol until he's eighteen."

At that, Larxene's shoulders sagged. Xigbar raised an eyebrow, and his one yellow-gold eye betrayed his concern. "What's up, Lar?"

"We don't age," Larxene said quietly. "But _he_ _will_, because he was born in this realm." She noticed Xigbar's expression sober up. "I've been aware of this for a long time, Xigbar. Can you imagine what it must be like for parents, who were not born in this realm, to watch as their offspring -born here- age past them, and die before their own time? I certainly can't."

Xigbar continued feeding Roxas, but the majority of his attention was directed at Larxene. "It's a terrible thing for a child to die before the parent. No true mother, and no true father, ever wants to see that."

"Isn't there any way," Larxene asked wispily, "for his internal clock to stop? So he could be just like us?"

"I don't know..." Xigbar let his one-eyed gaze trail to Roxas, who was quickly becoming like a sort of grandson to the Freeshooter. The baby giggled.

"Listen to me," Larxene scolded herself. "I'm being so selfish." She shook her head, the antennae-like bangs swishing slightly. "Maybe he _wants_ to live a normal life; to age and die. Maybe he _doesn't_ want to be immortal like us."

"Well," Xigbar offered. "We'll just have to wait until he's older, eh?"

Larxene smiled weakly.

"Enjoy the time you DO have with him," Xigbar said, "and don't worry about all that heavy stuff like a brooding old crone."

Larxene allowed herself to be offended. "Old crone?!" she exclaimed, her blue eyes sparkling with rekindled mischief. "If I were you, I wouldn't be talking!"

Xigbar laughed. "I'm not an old crone; I'm an old madman!"

* * *

Jester laughed along with Axel, as the pyro had just verbally beaten down a drunk looking for a pointless fight. "Stick it to the drunk!" Jester called loudly. Honestly, he was beginning to like this new stranger; Jester could sense that even his other side was taking a sort of liking to the pyro. "You're all right," Jester confessed, as if he had just had an epiphany, and clapped Axel's shoulder.

Axel looked to the joker, his emerald eyes glittering with mischief. "Ahah," he laughed, "I suppose."

The two left the noisy bar and decided to walk down the cobbled streets outside, the chill air bothering neither of them: Axel had his fire element, and Jester had the homeostasis of his other side. "Say," Jester said cordially, but with a hint of playfulness in his tricolored eyes, "wanna have some fun?"

"Depends on your idea of 'fun'," Axel returned, grinning still.

"Let's light up the sky." Jester motioned with his head to a high, flat rooftop.

"You already speak my language," Axel replied before jumping onto a stack of crates to reach the fire escape leading to the destination. Jester was not far behind; he reached the top seconds after Axel. Axel looked around before spying a pile of rubble near the far side. The pyromancer snapped his fingers, and instantly a flicker of flame leaped eagerly into the dry trash and debris. The Flurry Of Dancing Flames clapped his hands, and flames erupted suddenly from the stack.

"I was gonna use my lighter," Jester chuckled, "but this is way better!" He paced and jumped around the bonfire, his eyes following the smoke and flames. Axel himself felt a stirring inside his stomach; he got it every time he made fire dance this way for him. The pyromaniac parted his lips in a smile as Jester's own feral one showed. Jester stopped in front of Axel, facing the fire still, and threw his head back; a howl tore loose from the young man's throat, shattering the night with its wolfish cry.

Axel was impressed.

* * *

**A/N: No, Jester knows nothing about Axel's connection to Larxene, and nor does Mortica.**


	11. What Is Meant To Be, Shall Be

Larxene rose her head quietly, her eyes blurry from sleep. She sensed someone coming in front of her, and instinctively her muscles tensed. She relaxed, however, when she realized who it was.

She felt warm lips rush softly onto her own as hands gently wrangled her silk hair. Axel's tongue swiped across her bottom lip, and the Savage Nymph granted his entrance to play inside with a suppressed moan. His scent was swamping her, all around, and she felt as if she could wrap herself in it. Larxene briefly sucked on his tongue while his hands worked her sweatpants off. She gasped as she felt a finger inside, and Axel took that opportunity to further deepen their blazing kiss. Larxene ached to swing her legs around his hips and tighten herself there, but by now he had pushed her up against the wall by her bed, and he was pressing his weight into her somewhat.

Larxene began to pant as Axel moved down to the nape of her neck, licking tenderly. She whispered his name, and Axel came back up to kiss her once more on her soft lips. She felt his finger retreat after a release from a few minutes of oh so wonderful fondling, and he nuzzled her chin affectionately.

Larxene kissed his cheek, lingering.

Axel felt something wet trail down onto his own cheek.

Immediately, Axel cupped her face with both hands. "What's wrong?" he demanded softly.

Larxene shook her head sadly, her face still in his hands. Another tear glistened in the moonlight as it rolled down her cheek. "Axel, I..." She didn't know how to tell him.

"What is it?" Axel pressed, worry clouding his eyes. "Did I do something? Anything?"

"It's not you," she croaked, holding back a choked sob. "It's just... we don't age..."

Axel raised an eyebrow. "You've... never had a problem with that before..."

"We don't age...," Larxene repeated, "but Roxas _does_..." Her heart felt literally as if it were being ripped into flailing ribbons, torn asunder by sorrow and discord.

Axel had always been aware of this, deep in the recesses of his mind, but he, too, had not dwelled on this dilemma all too much. But now that Larxene had brought it into the open, he bit his lip and knit his eyebrows together. He silently wrapped an arm around her neck and pulled her close to him, listening to his lover's sounds of sorrow; he tried his best to assuage her, rocking her back and forth and humming softly to her. "Larxene," he began softly.

Larxene sniffed and looked up at him, her moonlit blue eyes glittering like forlorn stars.

"He's still just an infant," Axel began carefully. "He'll be here for years to come. But listen to me: I'll try and find a way to fix this. I will."

Larxene closed her eyes as a tear came down. "But that's the thing," she whispered. "Death is something that will -and always shall- occur. Who are we to prevent that from happening to one individual?"

Axel didn't miss a beat. "There is a difference between ageless and immortal," he said softly. "Ageless is where you simply stop aging; immortality is where you literally cannot die. We are ageless, just as we were when we were Nobodies in the realm of the living. We don't age in this realm because we died and then came here. But we can still be killed; we can still die. Our internal clocks have just been stopped; nothing else has changed."

Larxene's tears had ceased, and her head rested on his chest. While her fingers were stroking his collarbones, she replied, "Yes, you're right. We can still die." She allowed a sardonic grin to curve her lips. "Just go ask Saix."

Axel breathed a laugh.

"So...," Larxene began steadily, "say we _do _find a way to stop Roxas from aging..."

"He'd still be able to die."

"Yes, I know. But the question is, _when_ will we stop his internal clock?"

Axel cupped his chin in thought. "Well," he finally said, "first of all, we're getting ahead of ourselves. See, we need to see if there's any way we can even stop his aging in the first place. We'll figure things out from there."

Larxene nodded. "And I --_we_, must be prepared for the fact that if there is no way, then what is meant to be, shall be." She closed her eyes as she drew herself to this conclusion. She told herself that she was -she really was- grateful for having Roxas, no matter how long.

Roxas is still her son.

* * *

Jester watched idly as Mortica corrected Sinka on her agility in fighting. His mind was elsewhere, of course. He had been spending time with the pyro for a couple of weeks already, and Jester was to go and meet him again in a bit.

"Sinka," Mortica snapped, "make use of your claws! Swing as you're running when you come upon the enemy! Don't give them time to counter!"

Sinka growled and dashed forward, swinging as she leapt forward, landing inches before Mortica. Immediately, as Sinka hit the ground, the she-wolf snarled and snapped her teeth together, slashing at the air in front of Mortica again.

"Better," Mortica breathed darkly, imagining that blond woman's flesh ripping between Sinka's claws.

Jester stepped away from the wall he was leaning against. "Mortica," he addressed. When he caught the woman's attention, he asked, "Can you open up a portal to Hollow Bastion? I'm going to be roaming around there for a while."

"Again?" Mortica asked suspiciously. "You've been going there for the past few weeks. You've never taken particular interest in that place before. Why now?"

"Why any time?" Jester countered, grinning. "Besides, you don't need me right now."

Mortica sighed. "Fine," she snapped. "I'll come for you once more at the Dragon's Bane, when Hollow Bastion hits midnight."

Jester said his thanks as Mortica opened the red-and-gold portal.

As the joker went through, Mortica closed the portal for good measure. She waited for a few minutes, staring at the spot where Jester had left. "Sinka," she commanded, "go back and wait for me. Do what you want, just don't leave into the city. I will be back soon."

Sinka obeyed and loped back to the mansion. When Sinka was gone, Mortica summoned another portal and slunk through.

Her destination: Hollow Bastion.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, Jester can't use portals; either you're born with it, or you have to learn how to use it. And usually the latter takes a while. **


	12. Struck Dumb

Larxene gently kissed Roxas' forehead, earning a happy gurgle; he stared at his mother's face as she held him in her arms. Larxene rested her back against the wall, and she crossed her legs as she sat on her soft bed of silk. Roxas gurgled again, and his lips curled into an open-mouthed smile. Larxene's heart opened and swelled at the child's first actual smile; she smiled as well, to encourage him. She leaned her head downward to kiss his soft forehead, moving her lips up to nuzzle his soft reddish hair.

There was a knock on her door, and when Larxene granted the entrance, the door slowly, quietly, opened to reveal Marluxia. The Graceful Assassin smiled warmly at his sister figure. "Thought you might want some company."

Larxene smiled. "Your nephew just had his first real smile," she responded softly, taking in Marluxia's proud smile at the child.

"Did he?" Marluxia asked fondly. "How wonderful..." He sat across from Larxene, and the Nymph held Roxas out to him. Marluxia cradled the child in his arms and observed the child as Roxas put his fingers to his little mouth, eyeing Marluxia and his pink hair with keen interest. "He's got his father's hair and eyes," Marluxia whispered to Larxene. "But he has your skin, as well as a bit of your eyes in the green," he added, peering at the slivers of blue below Roxas' pupils.

Larxene smiled.

Marluxia kissed Roxas' forehead. "But I wonder who he'll take after," the Graceful Assassin wondered.

Larxene tilted her head to the side. "As in, what? Like what element he'll inherit? And personality?"

Marluxia nodded. "Naturally, your element is a part of you, and therefore a kind of gene. The same is with Axel, and the rest of us. Roxas has inherited either lightning or fire." He smiled at her again. Then, "Where has Axel run off to?"

"Hm? Oh, he went to Hollow Bastion. Apparently he made a friend."

"Oh?" Marluxia raised a pink eyebrow. "Tell me about him."

"Well," Larxene began, rocking back somewhat, "I've never met the guy, but his name is Jester, and it seems Axel met him at a bar at Hollow Bastion; they hit it off right away. Axel told me that he has this light purple hair... short, coming to the nape of his neck. Think of Zexion's hairline at the back, and this guy has a chunk of hair over his right eye, but not quite covering it. And Axel says that he has the wierdest eyes he's ever seen: they're blue, green, and purple."

"Odd...," Marluxia agreed.

A small smile came on Larxene's lips. "Axel left to go and spend some time with him today. They've known each other for a few weeks already."

"Has Axel ever talked about bringing this Jester character here?" Marluxia asked cautiously.

Larxene shook her head. "He still doesn't like bringing people here, you know."

Marluxia nodded in understanding. The Organization still believed in not telling just anybody the location of their homeworld. It was a matter of safety, confidentiality, and territory. "True."

Roxas smiled at his uncle.

* * *

Mortica could always tell where Jester was; her intuition on his location was abnormally impeccable. She followed it now, snaking her way through the alleys until she encountered a crowded bar; perhaps a bar fight was happening. _Idiots_, Mortica thought scathingly.

Out of the corner of her ice blue eye, Mortica caught a movement of purple and even bright red. Her attention snapped to the colors and she saw Jester, though she didn't know who the other man was. She had certainly never seen him before; he was tall, rail-thin -though Mortica could see the muscle in his arms- and carried a confident and even dynamic air about himself. What caught Mortica's attention the most about this stranger though, was his face. Fine features among a clear face; black diamond markings adorned each cheek bone; his shock of long and spiky red hair resembled a blaze of fire, with two strands sticking out of place at the base of his crimson mane, at the top of his forehead. But his eyes, his eyes were what captivated Mortica's attention the most: even from where she was Mortica could see, as he turned his head to look at something, the green in his eyes that were blazing emeralds; she felt that they could melt her own eyes of ice blue.

If she didn't know any better, she'd say she was struck dumb.

Mortica looked back to Jester, for he was talking to this man now; the stranger shook his mane of hair as he laughed, the sound light as it carried itself through the air and into her ears. Mortica felt herself tense as the two prepared to climb up a building by means of a fire escape on the side. When the two were on the roof top, Mortica portalled onto the building behind it. She crouched behind a broken generator and listened as the two perched themselves on the ledge of their building, unwittingly on the ledge closest to Mortica. She drank in their conversation.

"So where _do_ you reside?" Jester asked, and Mortica could hear the innocence in his question. She could also hear his legs hitting the brick building as he dangled his legs.

"Mm...," the stranger mumbled in thought. "Well," he replied now, "I know you're my frined and all, but I really don't like to disclose that kind of information. It's actually a kind of mutual rule, y'know?"

Jester rumbled in understanding. "So if you say mutual, does that mean you live with others? Hah, check me out: I've known you for weeks, and I'm barely asking this kind of question." He laughed.

The man laughed too. "But yeah, I live with others. None of us are related."

"So you're all like roommates?" Jester inquired.

"Yep," the man replied airily.

"So tell me, Axel," Jester said then, "what's your status?"

Axel. So that was his name...

"You mean marital?" Axel asked. "I'm not married."

"You have anyone?"

"Yeah, I do," Axel answered steadily.

For some reason Mortica's eye twitched at that.

"Ahhhh," Jester said slyly. "What's she like?"

"Oh boy," Axel replied lightly. "You're asking me THAT? Where to begin...?!" he breathed. "She's... the most wonderful person to come along... I fell in love with her three years ago... She's amazing... Majestically savage... Honorable... A rose with thorns and a cat with claws... She has this grace that is both fluid and raw..."

Mortica could hear Axel laughing very softly to himself. "I'm sorry," he said. "Have I made things boring? Mushy?"

"Not at all...," Jester said, his tone indicating that he was mystified. "I was actually hoping that you'd go on about her; she sounds like a wonderful person, Axel."

"Yeah... We even have a son: Roxas. The little guy's almost three months old."

"How cute," Jester said, and Mortica imagined the grin on his face perfectly. "What's your mate's name, though?"

"Her name is Larxene."

Mortica barely, _barely_, restained the loud gasp in her being; she almost lost control as an icy feeling seized her back like talons.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, I've studied the infant developments and all, but different worlds have different babies. So naturally, different development times. Eh. **


	13. Uneasy Tension

Mortica could not believe her own ears, she was so stunned. This man, who had already captivated her the way a Venus fly trap catches its prey, who had paralyzed her with a glance that wasn't even directed to her, whose voice melts her heart to a puddle... _He was the mate of her most hated enemy?! _And they had a child, as well?! Mortica felt her heart plummet through her stomach down to her feet.

When she died, she was going to kick karma and fate in the ass.

Mortica felt a bead of sweat run down her temple; wiping it away with an index finger, she closed her ice blue eyes thoughtfully. _Stick with the plan_, she told herself. _You should never have fallen for him in the first place. This will only complicate things. _She scolded herself for acting like a lovestruck schoolgirl.

Meanwhile, Jester had a different response to finding out Axel's relationship with Larxene.

_"Oh shi-- seriously?!" _Mortica heard him leap to his feet. "The one who saved the Santor clan was your lover?!"

"Er, yeah," Axel replied. "I mean, it was mostly Larxene who helped the Santor clan..." Axel's eyebrows furrowed. "But where did you hear that?"

Mortica froze; Jester had just made a fatal mistake that could jeopardize everything.

"A friend of mine told me about it," Jester answered truthfully. "She heard the story from a couple who were there, y'know." Jester didn't want to lie to Axel, and he certainly didn't want to taint their friendship.

This seemed to satisfy Axel; he lowered his shoulders and said, "Oh, okay. But yeah, it was mainly her, like I said."

"Was this before or after you two had the baby?" Jester asked curiously. He honestly wanted the question to be as innocent as possible; now that he knew the truth between Larxene and Axel, he was torn. Torn between loyalty and love for Mortica, and loyalty and friendship for Axel, his new friend who was quickly becoming close to Jester and his other side. He didn't want to lie to Axel; he didn't want to keep information from Mortica. He felt a growl rise in his throat, but Jester held it down.

Axel replied by saying, "Before. In fact, she told me she was with child after the whole thing." He smiled warmly to himself, reminiscing. Then he turned to Jester and asked, "I could take you to see him."

Mortica's heart leapt. As soon as Axel finished that sentence, a new course of action had already unfolded in her mind. She grinned maliciously to herself; she'd make that bitch pay, she would. _Take the opportunity, Jester, you fool! _Mortica commanded silently.

But Jester shook his head. "I don't... feel like now's the right time," he said uneasily. He looked over his shoulder briefly, then looked back to Axel. Responding to Axel's curious expression, Jester said, "Just one of those feelings I get. Hard to explain, actually."

He cursed himself for not scenting Mortica sooner. She must know now that Axel was the mate of Larxene, as well as the fact that the two had a child. He swallowed.

Axel shrugged. "I understand," he replied simply, grinning. "But hey, whenever you want to see him, just ask."

* * *

Larxene grinned, relishing in the sight before her as she leaned on a table. Strafe and Axel were beside her, laughing softly.

Xaldin was trying his absolute best not to cry out as Roxas yet again pulled on one of the Lancer's locks of black hair in front of his face. The man was holding the baby securely, but he sure as hell wanted to set him down. He just didn't know how to do that without Roxas tearing off some of his hair.

"Having fun, Roxas?" Larxene crooned, teasing.

Xaldin responded instead. "He has quite a grip. I wonder who he gets _that_ from?" The last part came out as an irritated growl.

"Probably me," Larxene quipped. "Axel knows when to let go of something if he grabs a hold of it; I probably don't." She smiled again, the play on her thin lips dripping evil venom.

"Aren't you hungry or something?" Xaldin asked Roxas. "Why don't you do other baby stuff? Go get hungry; bite something -oh, you don't have teeth, excuse me- or go poop. Some sort of thing babies do that don't involve ripping my hair out!"

Larxene chuckled to herself as Roxas only gurgled and pulled harder. Quite a grip, that boy.

"But Xaldin!" Strafe piped up. "I already pulled on your hair before! You should be used to it!"

"Don't remind me," Xaldin grumped as Roxas squealed in laughter.

Larxene's heart melted over again. "Congratulations, Xaldin," she said sweetly. "You gave him his first laugh."

"I did?" Xaldin asked, his thick eyebrows furrowing together. "OW!" he cried out as Roxas yanked harder.

Axel grinned as he pulled Strafe close to him and ruffled his sand-blond hair. "Wonderful," he said, still wearing his grin. "And hey, Xaldin. You should feel special: every kid wants a piece of you!"

It was only then that Strafe remembered something important that happened almost three months ago.

"Axel, Larxene!" Strafe bubbled worriedly, tugging on the pyro's shoulder.

"What is it, Strafe?" Axel asked, detecting the boy's agitation.

In a flurry of words, Strafe told Larxene and Axel what had happened the day that an intruder had come on to Santor grounds looking for Larxene. Stok had told Strafe to tell the pair the next time he went to see them, but it had sort of slipped his mind with the coming of Roxas... Strafe described in detail the woman's appearance, and he noticed Larxene stiffen. "What's the matter, Larxene?" Strafe asked. "Do you know her?"

"I'm... not sure," Larxene said slowly, aware of Axel's curious gaze on her.

* * *

Mortica stormed through the portal, Jester following her. She had indeed picked him up at the Dragon's Bane, but she had not spoken a single word to him. Now, Mortica looked up to see Sinka scampering toward her. _"Get away from me right now, you mangy rat!"_she boomed. Sinka skidded to a halt and, a hurt expression on her wolfish features, slunk back to where she ran from.

Jester frowned at her back. "You didn't have to do that," he said quietly. "That wasn't necessary."

Mortica seethed silently as she leaned over the sink to their kitchen. Her shoulders hunched and squared and she gathered her speech again. After a quiescent moment, Mortica said, low and deadly, "When do you plan on telling me?"

"Pardon?"

"Don't play dumb, you fool!" Mortica shouted, whirling around to face him, ice blue eyes threatening to burst into fire. "When were you planning on telling me about that friend of yours, who _just so happens_to be sleeping with Larxene?!"

"You think I knew about that before?!" Jester argued. "I was just as surprised as you today! Oh, don't look at me like that, Mortica! I _know_ you were listening in on us the whole time; I could _smell_you, for crying out loud!" His tri-colored eyes blazed, and his other side was trying to claw its way to the surface; it was weakened however, due to the lack of that certain time of the month, and it was suppressed. "So of course I saw no point in informing you; you already KNEW!" Truthfully, he wished Mortica hadn't been there to listen in on everything.

Mortica flexed her fingers angrily. "I expected you to tell me because you are my partner in this!_ I expect the trust to be there!"_ The last part almost came out as a wail of distress.

"You want everything to be in your expectations!" Jester roared, his other side winning, strangely enough. "You tread your power so poorly, that you become so blind to everything around you except for what's in front of you! Grow up, you have no control over me!" Jester advanced on Mortica until he was inches from her face.

Mortica held her ground, even when Jester's teeth began to lengthen, even when his fingernails extended slightly, even when his blue, green, and purple eyes held a deadly golden hue. She was backed up against a wall, but she stared Jester directly in his eyes.

"You like that boy, don't you?" came the husky voice of that who Jester fought so hard to suppress. "We do, too." He licked her cheek. "Hurt that boy, and I hurt _you_." He traced a clawed finger along Mortica's jawline.

"Back off," Mortica growled tightly, her ice blue eyes unwavering, to her credit. "We have no power over each other, I have told Jester. We are both individuals of neutral and equal status."

He roared as he cuffed Mortica on the side of her head; she staggered, but did not fall. You fall, you die.

He prepared to lunge, but stopped in mid-step. He held his head and whimpered from the exersion of fighting to keep control. It was particularly hard for him to seize control when it wasn't his high time, and Jester was quite determined to regain control right now. A whimper escaped his throat, and he dropped to his knees, clutching his head in pain.

Mortica watched as the struggle went on for a minute more. Finally all was quiet. "Jester?" she called uneasily. She waited for a response with bated breath.

"Oh, 'tis fine, _Amore_," Jester panted lightly. He stood upright, his tri-colored eyes back to their normal unusual color. "I'm terribly sorry... May I look?" He motioned to her head, where she had been struck.

Mortica instinctively turned her head so he could look. "I'm sorry," she heard him murmur as he rubbed the spot gently. "I'm so sorry..."

"Jester, don't...," Mortica said softly. "It happens."

"No," he said flatly. "I _always _need to be in check with myself. I _always_ need to be prepared for an attack from within. All this emotion gave that side of me a leeway for attack." He shook his head, the chunk of purple hair above his eye moving in tune with the motion.

Mortica put a hand over his beating heart. "Don't beat yourself up too much," she said, hoping to lighten the situation.

"I think you should tell that to Sinka," Jester replied, taking things in stride. "She probably thinks she did something wrong, what with the way you screamed at her like a banshee."

Mortica chuckled lightly and left, but both knew that the tension was still rather thick in the air.

* * *

Larxene rose sharply from her comfortable spot in Axel's arms.

"Larx?" Axel mumbled sleepily. "What's wrong?" She was panting for some unknown reason.

"Axel," she said quietly, "do you remember that dream I told you about? The one I had just before Roxas was born?"

"Yeah...," Axel said, unsure as to where this was going.

"I just had a dream," Larxene said, her voice tightening with surfaced memories of yore, "about that woman again... She was the one that Strafe told us about. I remember her name. I remember why I didn't like her. I remember why she hates me."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Axel said, putting an arm on his lover's shoulder. "Let's start things off at the beginning. What was her name?"

"Mortica."

* * *

**A/N: Hahah, okay, this is funny right here: I was coloring a pic of Bellacruxia's wolf-form on some binder paper at school, and a friend of mine comes up from behind me and says "That is frickin' awesome! That wolf is so badass!" Hah, if only they knew, hee hee...**


	14. A Tangled Web

Axel gave her a curious look that asked for her to go on. He sat up next to her, the bed sheets covering their forms.

Larxene stared out the closed window as she prepared herself for the story of Mortica.

"Mortica and I," Larxene began slowly, collecting herself carefully, "grew up together when I was still a Somebody. We both came from powerful aristocratic families. Both got along well together, and even invited each other to the casual banquet or ballroom dance party. Mortica and I were both only childs to our families, so naturally, when we first met..." She looked to Axel.

"You two got along well," Axel finished, looking intently into her blue eyes.

"Exactly," the Nymph replied. "We were almost like sisters, I liked to believe. I remember sometimes lying on a grassy hill, and Mortica would be running along the plains below, always coming back with flowers of friendship for me." Larxene gripped her bed sheets, briefly lamenting over the bittersweet memory. "We always played together, always made sure that the boys from the other families didn't think that they could tread on us, always had each other's back. Mortica was such a good friend, Axel..."

Axel stared at her, and pondered over how such a strong friendship between two childhood friends could be tainted. "What happened that made you two hate each other?" he asked softly.

Larxene closed her eyes and gripped her bed sheets again. "We were the closest of friends until me began to mature. Where I was, the age of maturing in young girls was the time where the aristocrats picked suitors for their daughters."

"Ah, suitors?" Axel couldn't help repeating, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

Despite the situation, Larxene turned to look at him and smiled, amused. "Allow me to finish, love, and you'll see."

"Er, right," he answered, feeling warm.

"Well," Larxene continued, "as things went for the families in general, all that the fathers and mothers were allowed to due was pick the suitors, then let their daughters decide. But it's more complicated than that. See, the suitors were boys from the higher classes; sons of nobles, so to speak. Our heirarchy system had nobles above aristocrats over there. And here's the catch; either the daughter marries one of the suitors, or the whole family is disowned."

"Are you serious?" Axel asked, disbelief evident in his green eyes, which glittered like flame-lit emeralds in the night. "That's absurd! Why in the hell would _that _occur?!"

Larxene closed her eyes and answered, "To keep the so-called 'nobility' and 'high-class blood' running strong." She sigehd. "So anyways, during our time of maturity, our families could only muster two suitors, one for Mortica, and one for me."

"Did you... marry one of them...?" Axel couldn't help asking.

"Listen to me, silly, and you'll know." Larxene grinned at him, finding his jealousy amusing. However, the feeling evaporated like dew in the morning as Larxene went on to the next part of her tale. "Well, one of the suitors had abolished his status by eloping with a kitchen maid. That left only one suitor, and there was no one else to substitute the other one."

"So he could either go with Mortica or you...," Axel said.

Larxene nodded. "For the first time we were torn. Mortica's famliy was slightly less richer than mine, and thus she wanted to win the suitor's favor, to ensure that he wouldn't change his mind at the last minute and want to go with me. But as things would go, he fell in love with _me_, not Mortica. He kept following me around like a lost puppy." She grinned sardonically at the analogy. "Mortica was furious; she had hoped to take him so that her family would not be disowned and possibly reduced to life in the slums."

"But," Axel interrupted slowly, carefully, "I thought all you had to do was choose him, and he wouldn't have a choice in the matter..."

"You forget that if one family wins, the other is thrown out," Larxene reminded the pyro. "Mortica and I found it extremely difficult and heart-wrenching. She confronted me one day about it, and told me that she needed the suitor more than I did. I retaliated by saying that it's not just me, but my family that would suffer if I did not choose him. Mortica swung, and the two of us fought in the alley then and there. Then, that blasted suitor -the unknowing cause of all this- split us up. He favored me over the injured Mortica. He reported the actions to my father, and he grew angry, to say the least."

Axel rubbed her arm.

"In a turn of unexpected events, my father and the suitor had convinced the higher class who dictated the rules to have the suitor marry me and not Mortica. Of course, I was shocked. Mortica took it far worse; she threatened to kill me for what I would inevitably do to her family because of this." Larxene nuzzled Axel's neck before saying, "The suitor and I were scheduled to be married after Mortica's family was disowned by the controlling nobles, to ensure that no one from her family would be there."

"And what happened?"

"She and her famly were indeed disowned, and they were forced to live in the vicious slums." The Nymph closed ehr eyes again in lament. "On the eve of our wedding, my husband-to-be tried to lead his bride-to-be to bed." She tightened her hold on the bed sheets. "I would not allow him to touch me back when Mortica was still around; he was the symbol of our lost friendship. A living, walking stigma for it, and he never knew. I would not let him touch me now, much less let him seduce me!"

Despite himself, Axel was glad about that.

"I refused him, and he looked so dejected that I found secret pleasure in his hurt emotions. Head hanging, he left, telling me that he'd be back in the morning. Despite myself, I followed him silently. He came upon a fast-running creek and sat down, staring out into the night sky. And then, the shadows began to move, twist and turn, until they were creatures of shadowy flesh."

"Heartless...," Axel breathed.

Larxene nodded. "His heart and their strong emotions attracted them above anyone else's around. He was unprepared, and I watched, stunned, as they ripped him apart until they reached his heart. I need not tell you the rest of that; you already know what usually happens. They completely devoured him, and his meek shadow melted with their retreating platoon, never to be seen again."

Larxene looked up to the dark ceiling. "I had to tell my father what happened, and he was dumbstruck. But nevertheless, since he was already meant to marry me, our family still kept its aristocratic status."

"What happened when Mortica heard about this?"

"Mortica... She... she was so different, Axel. So much different than the girl I grew up with. The next time I saw her, after the suitor's mourning, she was so rundown and beaten, a shadow of her former self. She called me out on leading her family to the depths of despair, poverty, and death. She lunged for me, but was beaten down by my father. He chased her away, and that was the end of that. But I ermeber her last words to me..."

"What were they?"

"_'I'll hunt you down to the life beyond and make you feel the wrath of the darkness you placed in my heart!'_" Larxene shook her head slowly. "Perhaps somewhere along the way -I don't know when- Mortica acquired some knowledge and power of the darkness."

"And now she's back, isn't she?" Axel asked.

"All the signs and dreams point to it, Axel." For the first time, Larxene looked fearfully to her son, who was sleeping soundly in his basket, purple blanket covering him snugly. "Mortica will still bear that grudge, Axel," she whispered. "If she finds out about you... If she finds out about Roxas... I dare not fathom it."

Axel held her tightly, rubbing her back. "Right now," the Flurry Of Dancing Flames said slowly, "all we can do is wait."

Larxene sighed an agreement, but her thoughts were on Mortica and her aristocratic reputation for her ruthlessness and merciless ambition.


	15. The Calm Before The Storm

"Kill him," she hissed into her ear. "Feed on his fear and kill him."

Sinka's jaws slavered at the sight of the young cub, who stumbled as it walked toward the she-wolf and Mortica. Its eyes were round with fear, but it still tumbled toward them for help. It had possibly strayed from its mother, and had wandered these dirty and dark alleys, and now it was alone and hungry. Above all, lonely.

As soon as Sinka saw that emotion, she stopped growling. She felt the aching need to curl around the pup and soothe it, but again -as always- the shadow of Mortica appeared behind her eyes. Mortica had chased away Sinka's own loneliness, and she didn't want to endanger that.

"What are you waiting for?" Mortica asked tightly, shoving Sinka forward and closer to the pup. "Kill him already." She had a reason for making Sinka target this one; it was a young one, and if Sinka was going to carry out the task Mortica had planned out for her, the young she-wolf would need to start somewhere in targeting young beings.

Sinka lifted a paw, but just as she opened her jaws, a snarl erupted from behind the whimpering pup. The mother bounded forward, all teeth and claws; her brown eyes blazed with anger and the need to protect her offspring. Her teeth gleamed ivory white against the sunlight, and Sinka instinctively and habitually growled back. Sinka's hackles rose along the back of her neck, and she snapped her jaws near the mother's face, hearing Mortica's approval.

As Mortica watched Sinka fly forward, the woman pondered over her own planned attack. She didn't know where Larxene resided, and neither did Jester; the man had still not taken Axel up on the offer to see the pyro's son, and Mortica had planned on seizing the opportunity there. She would have to wait, and she has for a long time, until the right moment arrived.

She smiled cruelly to herself as Sinka brought down the dog in record time.

Mortica was so wrapped up in her vengeful reverie, that as she left with Sinka, she never realized that Sinka hadn't harmed a hair on the cub. Nor the fact that Sinka never killed the mother, only wounded her and convinced her through growls of the canine language to play dead.

* * *

Demyx smiled at Roxas as the child smiled upon hearing the soft melody the Nocturne was producing on his sitar. "Do I detect an appreciation for music?" the young man asked, grinning playfully. Roxas' green eyes glimmered with glee as Demyx began to spontaneously compose a new tune. Roxas, on Zexion's bed, smiled drowsily as the tune carried on peacefully.

"Perhaps he'll have appreciation for the arts in general," the other occupant of the room commented. "Don't you think?"

"Yeah," Demyx answered softly, careful not to disturb Roxas, whose eyes were beginning to droop heavily.

Zexion rose from his armchair and went to the sleeping child. The Cloaked Schemer lifted the blanket over Roxas' little body, the gesture physically light as air, but emotionally deep and loving. With a gloveless finger, Zexion trailed a knuckle along Roxas' forehead.

"What's on your mind?" Demyx asked quietly as he and the Cloaked Schemer moved to the other side of the room, near the bookshelves.

Zexion looked at the perceptive musician. "It's this Mortica character," he confessed. "Larxene's told me about her and their past connection, and for the longest time I can't help but notice the feeling that something's about to happen. I can feel it like brittle lightning about to snap: _that something will happen_. It's so ominous." He glanced over at Roxas. "And with Larxene's firstborn now in the picture, the feeling's even more unstable."

But what Zexion kept to himself was the fact that yes, he felt something would happen. But he felt that something would happen to _Roxas_.

* * *

The smell of spring lightning was in the air, and Jester surveyed his city below from a rooftop, Axel at his side. The joker had taken Axel to his world, but he made sure to stay away from Mortica's castle. Jester had used Axel's portal to find his home; relatively easier than Jester thought. The two had walked through the city, peering at crowds and raising hell where it was needed. Now Jester rocked back on his seat of pebbles and said, "So what do you think so far?"

"Rather eventful," Axel commented, staring farther ahead past the bustling sights and rushing cars. Jester's body went numb when he caught the flickering interest in Axel's green eyes as the pyro looked at the dead forest that led to Mortica's castle.

"Oh," Jester said, nonchalant, "that's all dead wood. Nothing there, really." _Technically_, Jester reasoned to himself, _it's_ _true._ _About the forest, anyway..._

Axel shrugged, and Jester hoped he was convinced. "Sure," he replied lightly. He glanced back at Jester before leaping down, into the alleys; Jester scrambled up and followed.

When Jester hit the ground, he thought he caught a whiff of something familiar, but whatever it was, it was masked deceptively among the multiple scents of the average alley. Due to this, Jester dismissed it as a trick of the mind playing with his sense of smell.

He shrugged to himself as Axel said, "I think I'll get going. Roxas is probably napping, so I wanna be there when he wakes up."

Jester was touched by the fatherly affection in his friend's voice. Before he could think rationally, he said, "Think his dad'll let him see a riffraff like me?" He raised a light purple eyebrow comically and grinned sheepishly.

Axel smiled. "I'm sure he will."

The Flurry Of Dancing Flames called forth a portal and looked back to Jester, inviting the young man to follow. Jester took the invitation, but as he went through the dark anomaly, his spine flared with sudden cold fear as his mind finally identified -unfortunately too late- the scents he had dismissed.

Sinka and Mortica.


	16. Past And Future

As soon as Jester came through the portal, he whirled around, but saw neither Mortica nor Sinka. For the first time in his life, Jester prayed; prayed that the two had not followed him, and that he had indeed imagined their scents back in his city. But the man knew that his first prayer had been in vain; how could he even _try_ and fool himself like that? _What have I done?_ he asked himself in agony. _I've led them to Axel's world. She knows Larxene has a son. Oh please, please, PLEASE no... _The man was being torn asunder again, as had often happened to him ever since he had bonded with Axel, who was staring worriedly into his anguished tri-color eyes. Jester's heart thumped wildly like a rabbit warning others of predators. Jester threw his head back and let loose an anguished howl that split the barren world with its pain and sheer agony.

Axel's hands were on Jester's shoulders now, gently shaking the young man, who was full to the brim with anxiety. "Calm down!" Axel cried, confused. "What the hell's the matter?!"

"There's no time!" Jester cried, gripping Axel's coat collar. He had a sinking feeling that Mortica would deduct where Larxene was; that floating castle could be seen from anywhere in the World That Never Was... "Please!" Jester beseeched. "You have to take me to your son! He's in danger!"

At this, Axel's eyes flicked with not only confusion, but indignant anger. "What are you talking about?" he demanded sharply, a bite to his tone.

"There's no time!" Jester repeated. "Please! Take me to him! His life could be on the line!"

The panicked look in Jester's eyes seemed to propel Axel into flying into a portal, Jester's arm in the pyro's hand.

* * *

Claws clicked minutely on the marble floor stealthily as the creature prowled through the hallways. Her nose quivered as she picked up a scent; she grew even quieter as she waited behind a corner, waiting for the person to come closer...

She leaped around the corner at the right moment and pounced, hitting her target. But the slender woman before her was prepared; a hand batted the side of her muzzle, and she stumbled back to the floor, shaking her head.

Larxene grinned, her eyes gleaming like crystals. "Almost had me there, Creena," she said.

Creena shook her head one last time and smiled up at the woman, her black tail swishing. "More and more prepared every time," the Santor commented. "Not that you weren't already, but hey," she added.

Larxene chuckled and allowed Creena to keep pace with her. The two were heading now to Larxene's room where Jink, Cher, Strafe, and Roxas were. Larxene smiled to herself as she imagined Strafe trying once again to tell Roxas a tale of the Savage Nymph's past endeavors; perhaps this time it will be about how she had narrowly escaped losing the life of unborn Roxas from Bellacruxia, during that dark time in her dungeons...

Her thoughts were interrupted by hurriedly thudding footsteps behind her; Larxene and Creena turned quickly to see Zexion practically sprinting toward them. His visible silver-blue eye was swirling with distress as he approached the two women.

"Zexion?" Larxene questioned, slightly agitated. "What's wrong?"

"Your son," he panted. "There are two new scents around him. I tried to find Axel, but he's nowhere to be found. One of the scents... belonged to a Santor... The other... smelled of fresh rain... But the Santor scent... Larxene, that Santor scent smelled so close to... Bellacruxia..."

Larxene's eyes rounded in astonishment. Suddenly the dream she had had a few months ago came rushing back to her; the dream with the wolf who seemed to be Bellacruxia... "She's dead...," she repeated breathlessly, and whipped around to fly through a portal, Creena and Zexion behind her.

* * *

Mortica curled her lip in a frustrated sneer as she saw the two creatures before her.

A yellow wolf and an auburn panther were standing side by side, snarling furiously, the noises of animosity visibly shaking their young bodies. Behind the two, on the silk bed, were the agitated bundles of Cher and Roxas, who seemed to pick up on the dangerous situation. "Back off!" the yellow wolf, Strafe, snapped furiously. Jink's lips were curled into a beastly growl, ivory teeth gleaming and sharp like spears, waiting to impale the flesh of this harmful intruder. Strafe remembered this intruder, back when she had questioned little Kumer about the whereabouts of Larxene. How had she found this place? No time for those questions now, Strafe knew. Now was the time to protect the babies from this woman, who was beginning to talk.

"I'll not harm you, little ones," she said, low and wary. "Just give me that child. The boy." Her index finger beckoned the young shapeshifters to obey her.

"Why should we?" Jink retorted, standing his ground, light green eyes glittering with fire.

"Because I will kill you if you do not hand him over peacefully," came the cool response. Mortica raised her fingers, about to snap them together to summon her trump card, when a portal ripped open.

Jester stumbled forward, Axel behind him. For a split second, Mortica's ice blue eyes wavered at the sight of the pyro, and her heart thumped painfully in her chest. But as soon as she saw Jester, her eyes hardened. She knew that Jester had tried to warn Axel about the child, but he had come too late. Nonetheless, she would punish him by taking even more into her own hands. "Perfect timing, Jester," she crooned. "You've done well to make sure this man sees me take his son. It could not have been done without you leading me to his home."

Jester looked dumbstruck, until Axel whirled on him. "You," he hissed, fire pricking his shoulders. His emerald green eyes smoldered with absolute fury as he looked at Jester, who stared at Mortica. Axel grabbed Jester's shirt and snarled, _"You traitor!"_

_"I didn't know until the last minute that she was following me!"_ Jester cried, heart pounding with the fear of losing his best friend.

"A traitor?" Mortica repeated, her lips still curled into a malicious grin. "How amusing. Jester was on my side from the very beginning. He bought your trust so that we could get your son. To get _Larxene's_ son."

At once Axel's head snapped to the woman. "Mortica," he whispered. He shoved Jester away like a piece of trash as he stalked toward the woman.

_Oh, two birds with one stone,_ Mortica thought hungrily as she eyed this man's form approaching her. The wolf and panther were still eyeing her warily, all senses tuned in on her next move. A horribly vicious mistake, they would soon realize, as Mortica lifted her hand in front of her face.

Axel was in front of her now. "Get the hell out of here," he hissed, "before I _make_ you get out of here. You won't lay a finger on Roxas _or_ Larxene."

"Oh, _I_ won't," Mortica replied silkily, and snapped her fingers.

A portal ripped open, and even Mortica turned her head. A panther bounded forward, followed by a young man, and at the rear was _her_. Larxene. Even with the slight physical changes, Mortica still recognized the woman she had not seen in roughly eight years.

"Mortica," Larxene hissed hatefully, flexing her fingers.

"Larxene, as you're now called," Mortica returned spitefully. "I'd've absolutely _loved_ to stick around and catch up, but I'd best be going. With your son."

"You'll do no such thing!" Larxene yelled, but as she looked to her bed, her heart froze and her body was pierced with the pricks of icy needles.

A blood-red wolf with ebony streaks was curled around Roxas's worried form; golden eyes returned Larxene's look with hate and the hunger for revenge. Jink and Strafe whirled around and yelped; Axel's mouth was open with disbelief; Creena gasped in some sort of recognition; Jester's helpless self could only stare at the wolf-girl; Mortica's eyes gleamed with dark satisfaction.

"No...," Larxene whispered, stock-still. "You're dead. You killed--"

"I'm not dead," came the growl. "But Bellacruxia is. You killed her."

"What?" Larxene couldn't help breathing. "No one killed her! She--"

"No one killed her, you say?" the red wolf snapped. "So where is she?"

"Dead!" Larxene said frantically.

"Because you killed her!" the wolf snarled, still around Roxas. "You killed my sister!"

Larxene felt the ground tumble beneath her. "I didn't kill her!" she managed to shout. She advanced toward the two, and the she-wolf growled warningly and put her muzzle near Roxas's head. "Don't," Larxene demanded quietly. "Don't you dare." Larxene didn't dare attempt to shock the wolf; it would most likely hit Roxas as well on accident, and he wasn't quite old enough yet to handle an electric shock.

Jester, from where he had fallen, tried to rise, but Creena snarled and placed both paws on his chest, pinning him back down.

"Lies!" the wolf hissed, her body trembling with taut fury. "You killed her!"

Axel tried to edge around Larxene to try and get at Roxas from the side, but the she-wolf noticed him and snapped in his general direction; the pyro stopped immediately, knowing the danger his son was in.

Zexion looked at Mortica, and the godfather noticed that all her attention was completely focused on Larxene. He took his chance to creep in front of her and strike upward. Before he knew it, Mortica had slammed him down with her boot, his head making jarring impact on the ground. Jink growled and Strafe howled in indignation; the two flew forward at once and as one, going for Mortica's throat.

When she saw the two shapeshifters go for Mortica, the wolf's nose quivered worriedly, and her attention was briefly distracted.

Larxene took that opportunity to spring forward and make a grab for Roxas.

The wolf growled and snatched Roxas up by the purple blanket he was wrapped up in; the child whimpered.

Mortica managed to dodge the springing creatures, and she whirled around and kicked the back of Jink's head, managing to slam the panther against the wall. She quickly kicked Strafe in the muzzle, and he too hit the wall heavily.

"Jink!" Creena yelled. "Strafe!" She let go of her hold on Jester and flew at Mortica, but the woman had already bounded to the red wolf.

Mortica was around the red wolf now, holding her ruff of neck fur. "Jester!" Mortica called commandingly. "We are done! Come!" She snapped her fingers, and a portal opened beneath the young man, swallowing him.

Mortica turned to the infuriated Larxene. "It has only just begun, dear friend," she hissed, her voice dripping with unmasked venom as she snapped her fingers.

Mortica was gone.

Bellacruxia's sister was gone.

Larxene's son, Roxas, was gone.

Larxene slumped to her knees and allowed herself to sob angrily, as she recalled Roxas' scream when Mortica disappeared with him.

It was the same scream from her dream months before.


	17. Truth And Lies

Marluxia angrily pounded his fist onto the armrest of his seat. The snarl through his clenched teeth rattled his very being as his blue eyes flared with extreme anger. _"I'll FLAY that creature!"_ he roared, summoning his scythe, the pink blade shining ominously, as if it was already glistening with blood. _"I'll spread her entrails from here to the_ _Path!"_ he roared, referring to the dark, sandy path where all beings are first delivered when they enter this realm.

Xemnas' amber eyes were glittering with animosity; he too shared the Graceful Assassin's fury. He nodded.

The air in the meeting chamber was fraught with anger and tension, and several of the members were voicing their desires to destroy Mortica and retrieve Roxas. Creena had gone to inform the Pack, taking Cher and the injured Jink and Strafe with her; she had returned with Ston, and the Beta was sharing a seat with an enraged Axel, and Creena shared a seat with Larxene. The Organization now knew of Mortica's vendetta against Larxene, as well as that red she-wolf, that sister of Bellacruxia...

"But how is it that we've never seen that sister of hers before?" Demyx asked, hoping his question would distract the bloodlust and bring things into a clearer light.

Stok spoke up. "I remember that she-wolf," he began. "Her name is Sinka. When Bellacruxia came into power, she was afraid of family-related opposition. She exiled her own younger sister when the little one was but at a younger age, before Strafe was even born."

"So how the hell did Mortica find out about Sinka?" Axel demanded, agitated.

"Sinka never learned how to portal," Stok explained. "So she must have been wandering our world all this time. When Mortica came looking for Larxene in our world, she must have encountered Sinka."

"But _why_ would Mortica take an interest in Sinka?" Luxord asked. "Unless she knew the story of Bellacruxia and what happened more than a year ago."

Larxene jumped up. "None of that matters now!" she snarled. "I'm going to kill that bitch regardless! _She took my son, I take her life! Anyone fucks with him, dies by me!"_

"But where is she?!" Meytha exclaimed.

Axel stood up. "I think I know where she might be," he said steadily. When Larxene looked to him sharply, he said nothing. The pyro snapped his fingers, and a conjured portal materialized from oblivion in the center of the meeting chamber. "That portal," Axel explained to the now silent members, "leads to the city where Jester lives by. If he's affiliated with Mortica, then high chances are that she'll be there, too. And I think I know where she might be," he finished, recalling the dead forest and Jester's strange reluctance to go there.

"Axel," Larxene began, visibly shaking with the effort not to tear something apart, "are you absolutely _sure_ she'll be there?"

Axel's startling green eyes glimmered with sudden clarity. "Yes."

* * *

Sinka carried the bundle in her mouth, mindful not to let the baby slip out. She kept stride with Mortica, who walked proudly toward one of her massive rooms. This one in particular was like a chamber: large and spacious. Candles were placed along the sides of the room, their embers providing a soft orange glow to the room. Mortica walked towards the far end of the room, where a single window was, its stained glass colors of red and yellow falling on a type of crib. It was more shaped in the fashion of a cage, though, and Mortica took the bundle from Sinka. Roxas whimpered loudly, on the verge of tears, and Mortica felt her lip curl in disgust at Larxene's son. Mortica placed Roxas in the crib-cage, and told Sinka, "Guard him. Larxene will come for him, and she will most likely bring others. Be it only for a minute, or even a second, guard him and kill who oppose you."

Sinka looked up at her, golden eyes glittering with cold resignation. "Yes, Mortica."

Mortica nodded at her. "I wish to deal with Larxene personally; when she is on the verge of defeat, I will order you to finish the job."

"Kill Larxene?"

"No." Mortica's lips curled in secret delight. "Her son."

In the back of her mind Sinka screamed, but she nodded solemnly all the same, wanting to achieve revenge as much as Mortica.

* * *

Jester sobbed uncontrollably as he pounded the floor of his room. "I'm so sorry, Axel," he whimpered angrily as he felt his other side stir furiously within him. Through his open window, wind-driven rain poured onto Jester's shaking body, and the other side ached to come out. "I'm sorry, buddy...," Jester whispered.

Inside Jester, a light suddenly cracked through his being. The joker rose, and his mind was focused on only one being.

Sinka.

But he had to act fast; he had to talk to Sinka where the full moon would not touch him.

* * *

Axel jumped through the portal hurriedly, followed by the neophytes of the Organization, as well as Xemnas and Zexion. The rest of the higher-ups had stayed behind, ready to be called into action should the need arise. Stok, Creena, and a few others of the Pack were at the Castle as well. Night was falling quickly, clouds thick with rain floating across the sky, yet somehow never obscuring the full moon that was beginning to reveal itself. Rain was dropping down, pattering the streets and pelting the rushing cars. "There," Axel called, pointing to the dark woods he had seen before. "I think they're over there somewhere."

Larxene nodded quickly and teleported through a portal onto the other side of the street, followed by the rest of the group. She walk purposefully through the forest, hell-bent on retrieving her son and sating her anger for Mortica. _I'll make you pay for taking my son, Mortica,_ she growled. _I'll make you pay._ She felt that she was being guided somehow; she seemed to know just where to go, though she had never been here.

Larxene didn't dwell on it, though, as she came into a clearing.

On the other end was a massive castle, and Larxene knew she had reached her desired destination.

* * *

"Sinka, it's me," Jester panted, straining with the effort to hold back the change.

Sinka lifted her head; she was lying on top of the crib-cage where Roxas was still whimpering inside. "Hi, Jester," she said quietly.

"Sinka," Jester said quickly, "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?"

Jester approached the she-wolf, and he looked her in the eyes. "Larxene... Larxene didn't kill Bellacruxia."

"What do you mean?" Sinka asked, incredulous.

"I'm telling you the truth," Jester assured. "Please, believe me. No one killed Bellacruxia; she killed herself."

"What?" Sinka growled, though her eyes were glittering oddly.

"She killed herself when her mate Ranik died in her arms defending her. She was insane, Sinka, and I'm sure you never knew how she had nearly destroyed the Pack from what it once was. Larxene and her group saved them, as well as Bellacruxia's son Strafe. Larxene never killed Bellacruxia, Sinka."

"But...," Sinka whispered, trembling slightly. "But Mortica said--"

"Mortica changed the story to use you against Larxene," Jester insisted. "She wanted to use you to get back at Larxene."

"For what?" Sinka almost wailed, her teeth clicking.

"That goes out of the matter at hand," Jester whispered sympathetically. "What matters is that you have the right to know what really happened, instead of just living on lies..."

"So, everything I worked on?" Sinka said shakily, her throat nearly blocked. "My training? It was all to be utilized for Mortica's own means...?" The she-wolf trembled violently, torn asunder from the inside with the revelation. "How could she...? She said she'd be my new mother when we first met!"

"Oh, Sinka...," Jester whispered empathically. He went toward the girl, but the door opened.

"Jester!" the woman called. "They're here! I can see them in the clearing!" She stared hard at Jester, dismissing the odd look of dismay and torment on Sinka's wolfish features. "I know that your change is close at hand," she said darkly. "Let him out."

_"But why?!"_ Jester demanded, begging Mortica with his eyes to not go through with this.

"Redeem yourself to me!" Mortica howled. "You fool! Go now, and I won't kill the child right this moment!"

Sinka's head snapped up, and her lips barely curled into a snarl, but she was tormented inside still. This woman, who felt like a strange mother to her, had lied to and betrayed her this whole time. Deep inside of Sinka she wanted to run away and be done with all this, and another side still wanted to obey Mortica, and another side still wanted to cry out in anguish and lament.

In front of her, Jester froze. After a tense moment, he nodded. "I'll go," he whispered. _At least I can buy you some time, Roxas..._

Mortica's ice blue eyes flashed with approval.

* * *

Larxene marched forward, but stopped when a familiar figure flew threw the double doors that served as the entrance to Mortica's castle. She remembered him: it was that Jester fellow whom Axel had befriended. New rage flared inside her being; this man had betrayed Axel and revealed to Mortica the location of Larxene and her son. Axel stepped beside her, his emerald eyes glittering with animosity. "You bastard," he growled tightly, audible enough for the young man before them to hear.

Jester panted with the effort of saying, "Please, Axel, don't..."

"Don't what?!" Axel boomed. "Don't tear you to shreds?! Too bad!"

Jester fell to his knees, his feverish body sweating in rivulets. "Stay back, Axel, please..." Jester felt his bones struggling to contract, and the young man let out a low moan of pain; it gradually turned into a high whimper.

"There's something different about him," Zexion whispered fearfully as Jester began panting profusely as, through the rain, the moonlight poured down on him relentlessly.

"I don't care," Axel snarled, hearing Zexion and looking back at the Cloaked Schemer. "He dies _tonight!"_

"Let me speak!" Jester cried, holding his arms. "Larxene! I told... told Sinka the truth about Bellacruxia!... _Argh!_... I told her... the truth!"

Larxene sneered at him. "And I should believe you?"

"Please!" Jester begged. "I... I told Sinka just as Mortica came into the room. She wanted me to meet you all here to take care of you! To weaken you! I only came here because if I didn't Mortica would kill Roxas sooner!"

Xemnas clenched his fists tightly, but withheld himself; Axel needed to see this through.

Larxene's cerulean blue eyes flared with bloody ferocity.

Jester let loose a tormented howl as his other side clawed its way to the top. "Larxene, Axel, _please!"_ he begged. Tears of pain leaked from his eyes.

It was Demyx. The Melodious Nocturne saw in those tri-colored eyes such truth that begged to be believed. The musician _knew_ that this man was telling the truth. "Larxene," he said urgently, "believe him. I can see it in his eyes; he's telling the truth!"

Larxene's head whipped to the Nocturne, who flinched at the fire in her eyes. "Oh, Demyx," she whispered tightly, "do you strongly believe that?"

"Of course I do!" Demyx urged. "He's trying to redeem himself to Axel!"

At that, Axel's head went to the Nocturne as well. The pyro then turned his head to Jester, who was panting and whimpering as he held himself in the middle of the moonlit clearing.

Jester could hardly hold himself back any longer. His bones were beginning to shift painfully as a white-hot agony rampaged through his body; the young man screamed out loud in pain. He felt his skin prickling with sprouting fur, and his body began to contort and change. He could barely hold his other side back any longer, such was the intense struggle that he was facing. Jester let out another pained cry as his limbs began to lengthen.

"What's happening to him?" Luxord inquired, an edge to his voice.

"Nothing's happening to him," Axel suddenly said, recalling the night he and Jester first met; that night when Jester had howled to the bonfire lighting up the sky. The Flurry Of Dancing Flames found himself shaking not out of fear, but of something else entirely.

With the final cry of human agony, Jester lost himself completely to the other side, and there stood before the group a massive, snarling beast. An overgrown, muscular wolf with light purple fur crouched on its powerful hind legs, slavering at the jaws, its eyes glittering with the lust for blood. Jester's sorrow and guilt and shame collided with the beast's own mind, making him angry and frustrated in different tones. He swung his head to and fro, growling loudly as he took in the group with a sweep of his gaze. Jester had tried so hard to keep this secret from Axel, but now it was out in the open in the form of the unpredictable secret itself.

"He's a werewolf," Axel whispered.

The werewolf only growled as it eyed them all with ravenous bloodlust.


	18. Fight And Flight

Vexen tucked the ancient book in the crook of his arm and paced agitatedly in his study. Sand-brown hair pushed out of his face, the Chilly Academic could only wait for Larxene's return... and hope for Roxas' safe return as well. He had grown used to that child, after all. He and Larxene, who had never truly been friends, had found small amounts of time together whenever the scientist had his visits with Roxas. No longer did they despise each other, as they had in the living realm; now they were barely getting over their state of neutrality toward one another. Vexen could almost call Larxene a friend, and he found himself worrying for her safety, as well as everyone else's.

His mind was still fretting when Xigbar entered the room. "Hey there," the Freeshooter said softly, walking without his usual air of cockiness.

Vexen caught this and immediately smirked, but very briefly. "Why so subdued, Xigbar?" he asked cordially, an eyebrow raised.

Xigbar's golden eye flashed. "Dude," he retorted, "I'm pretty sure y'know that Roxas has been stolen! _Of course_ I'm subdued, as you so intelligently put it! I have to stay here and wait just like you! And what are you doing?" He pointed an accusing finger at the book Vexen was still carrying. "Reading up on chemistry?!"

Vexen glared dangerously at him, jade-green glaciers piercing like icicles. Xigbar froze and stared at the oldest member. "You think I don't care about the child?" Vexen asked quietly. "You think I _like_ sitting around and waiting to find out if they come back empty-handed or not?" He didn't wait for Xigbar's response. "Because I _don't_! So instead of pacing around like a caged animal, I decided to do something productive!" He held out the book in front of Xigbar's face. "Productive! Something you probably hadn't thought of!"

Xigbar shook his head. "Vex," he said quietly, "I'm just frustrated. It all slipped out." He sighed heavily. "Then what have you been doing?" Xigbar asked, changing the uneasy subject as he seated himself on a chair.

Vexen sniffed, then showed Xigbar the old book. "It's an ancient book I found deep in the recesses of the Hollow Bastion library. It pertains to laws specifically meant for this realm. Someone in this realm must have written it a very long time ago, then left it at that castle."

"So what's in here that interests you?" Xigbar asked, flipping through the pages absently.

"I've found something that could benefit Roxas should he wish to utilize it," Vexen stated. When Xigbar looked up at him, intrigued, the Academic went on. "It's under the section that's three pages past where you're at."

Xigbar looked down at the book, then turned three pages, and his one golden eye glittered with understanding.

The section was titled _Ageless Beings._

* * *

Jester growled, the sound throaty and loud, as he pawed the ground, ready to charge.

"Scatter!" Axel commanded to the group. Half the group went one direction, the other half going the other. Larxene stood her ground beside her mate, who glared at the werewolf. Axel and Jester charged forward.

Jester thundered across the ground, but as soon as his wolf-gold eyes caught Axel completely, he veered to the right and around the startle pyro. He would not harm that man; the werewolf settled for the woman in front of him.

Larxene flashed her knives and dodged to the side as Jester roared and dove at her. Larxene sped back and slit Jester's large muzzle, and streaks of blood flew out. With a snarl that made Larxene's blood curdle, Jester grabbed her slim body in his hand-paws; he hurled her across the clearing and watched as she crashed to the ground with a thump and a yelp.

"Bastard!" Axel yelled, his voice scratching Jester's ears like knives. The pyro charged forward, yet in the back of his mind he knew this was not Jester; this was the werewolf that, although a part of Jester, had a mind of it's own. Axel now believed that Jester had never meant to betray him, nor endanger him or anyone else. But now Jester was being forced to become a threat, and Axel had no choice but to at least subdue him.

The werewolf made a cross between a bark and a snarl as he swat at Axel with the back of his hand-paw, careful not to injure him too bad. Axel tumbled to the ground, bouncing right back up and glaring at the werewolf's back, as Jester had turned around. Axel turned to Larxene, and was relieved to see Marluxia helping her up, Zexion behind him. Unfortunately Jester saw Larxene as well; he pelted forward with brute speed and came upon the three before Axel could catch up.

Marluxia leaped in front of Larxene and Zexion, scythe in hand. "Back _off_," Marluxia warned, low and vicious. Axel rushed to the Assassin's side readily.

Jester bared his teeth, fangs gleaming deathly white in the pale moonlight; saliva dribbled forth from his mouth. He charged through the two, and Marluxia twisted his body in an agile fashion to slice down Jester's back, who howled in pain. The werewolf backhanded Marluxia, causing the man to fly backward and impact the ground with a thump. Jester licked his lips and prowled noisily to the fallen opponent.

"No!" Larxene commanded as she rushed in front of Jester. Her eyes flashed like flint, ready to ignite. Marluxia, behind her, scrambled up and stood beside her, panting slightly. "Back off, Jester," Larxene growled tightly, kunai glinting ominously in-between her fingers.

Jester snapped his jaws together loudly, irritated. His large wolf ears flicked as he detected the others behind him; he turned his head to see Luxord flipping through his cards, the noise drawing Jester's attention on purpose.

"That's right, you dog," Luxord coaxed, seeing Jester slowly turn to him. "Over here, you brute; we're more interesting." His clear blue eyes never wavered as they fixed themselves on Jester's golden ones.

Jester growled hungrily as he approached Luxord now, wanting to rid himself of the distraction quickly. His feet thudded the ground heavily as he walked over to the Gambler. Jester's red tongue lolled out as he neared the man.

"What's he doing...?" Larxene whispered to Marluxia and Axel, who were on either side of her.

Axel shook his head. "Dunno," he answered fleetingly.

The werewolf raised a paw; just as he was about to swing down, the bushes behind Luxord exploded forth a man. The startled werewolf was assaulted with glowing red sabers as Xemnas slammed his weapons on Jester. The wolf-creature cried out in broken growls as he tried to block his face, golden eyes gleaming with frustration and locking with Xemnas' amber ones. "Larxene, go! You, too, Axel!" the Superior shouted as Jester tried to counterattack.

Larxene nodded with one last look at her Superior. "He's buying us some time," she whispered to Axel, and the two turned with Marluxia to the castle.

Larxene froze as a shape streaked across the courtyard toward them, a bundle dangling in front of them. "Sinka," Larxene said steadily.

"Look what's in her mouth," Axel pointed out, and Larxene saw the familiar purple blanket.

Roxas was in that blanket, crying pitifully at the chill of the rain and the cold of the wind. Sinka skidded to a halt before Larxene, her golden eyes swimming with turmoil.

Shakily, she set the crying baby in front of Larxene and rolled over, exposing her stomach.

Axel cocked his head while Larxene could only stare at the she-wolf.

Sinka parted her jaws to say, "I know the truth now. I now know that you... you didn't kill my sister; no one did. Jester told me the truth..."

Axel glanced back guiltily at his friend, who was still fighting brutally with Xemnas.

"I'm so... I'm so...!" Sinka rolled back over and howled to the visible moon.

Axel went to pick up Roxas from the wet grass, when an enraged yowling broke through the area. Sinka's eyes bulged as something tackled into her from the side, and Larxene and Axel were shoved aside and away from Roxas and Sinka.

Jink pressed his paw into Sinka's throat, and the she-wolf gasped raggedly, fighting for air. _"Get away from them!"_ Jink caterwauled, whiskers twitching. His fangs were bared with animosity at Sinka, who whimpered and pawed the air in front of her.

Strafe stood in front of Sinka and growled, _"This'll be the last time you try and hurt anybody!"_

_"Strafe, n--"_

Larxene was cut off by Strafe's ferocious snarl to Sinka, who only whimpered more. Beside Sinka, Roxas cried louder, shriller. Jink pressed into Sinka's throat more; if he pushed any more, he would crush her windpipe.

Axel went forward quickly, but stopped midstep when a howl erupted from behind the two.

Jester was pacing toward them, and Larxene could see the limp and bleeding bundle of Xemnas behind the werewolf. She gasped, but saw Luxord, Zexion, and Demyx trying to gather the Superior from the ground.

"Scatter!" Marluxia called instinctively, as the werewolf ran forward and charged. The Assassin shoved Larxene to the side, while Axel ran for Roxas, scooping the child up and dashing to the side as well.

Unfortunately, the three youths were not so lucky. Strafe was stuck from behind, and the yelping wolf was thrown effortlessly to the side.

_"Strafe!"_ Larxene cried, running to the whimpering Cub Prince.

Jink was terrified. As Jester leered down at the panther, the boy's whiskers and ears dropped noticeably, and his hold on Sinka loosened considerably. Jester roared as he licked the side of his bleeding muzzle; Xemnas had certainly gotten in many considerable wounds on the werewolf before falling. Jink trembled and backed up, trying to retreat, but with every step Jink took back, the werewolf took one step forward. The young panther's green eyes wavered and glimmered with terror as the werewolf growled menacingly.

Jink backed up against a tree, unwittingly.

Jester clamped his jaws around the thin trunk of the tree, narrowly missing Jink's head. Pulling his teeth out of the dead bark, Jester snarled at Jink and lunged, not intending to miss this time.

Jink yowled, but no pain came. He opened his eyes a bit, and instantly they flew open.

Sinka's jaws were clamped around Jester, blood flowing freely from them both. Sinka had her jaws on Jester's shoulder, and Jester had his claws digging into Sinka's back. The she-wolf growled in a throaty fashion, not wanting to kill Jester, and the werewolf tried wrenching the wolf-girl off of him. The rain pelted the two, the liquid as well as the blood running down the wolfish entities.

Jink took the opportunity that Sinka had granted him; he raced away, running to Strafe, who was still on his side and whimpering.

"Don't move," Larxene said softly into his ear. "You've got some broken ribs, so stay still." She traced the rest of his body with her fingers for any other injuries.

"I'm sorry, Larxene," Strafe whispered. "I wanted to help you... I saw her with Roxas..."

"Shh," the Nymph whispered, stroking Strafe's muzzle. "You helped us get Roxas back, so right now just lie here; you're safe."

"Axel, Larxene," Jink whispered frantically. "Sinka! She... she saved me! That werewolf would've had me, but she saved me and distracted him so that I could run!"

Axel held Roxas closer to him, the infant still whimpering but no longer sobbing, feeling the familiarity of his father's warmth. "We were wrong about Sinka, Larx," the pyro finally said. "Mortica was influencing her. Tainting her."

Larxene nodded. She rose and looked to the where Sinka and Jester were still struggling against each other, the pair resembling two friends tangled in a fight they never wanted to engage in. "I have to help her," she whispered. When Axel looked at her, she said, "You and Marluxia stay here with Strafe." The Savage Nymph charged into the fray.

Jester dug his claws into Sinka's flanks now, and the she-wolf whimpered loudly and she bit down harder. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Larxene running toward them. Jester saw as well, and finally roared with renewed bloodlust; he tore Sinka off of him and dropped her. Saliva dripped down as Jester stared hungrily at the Nymph, wanting to tear her into little pieces. Screw Mortica's orders of subduing the group; he'd gobble this woman right up for the sake of going against the woman.

Jester pounded down on Larxene while the Nymph stabbed his arms. Jester felt jolted by powerful volts of electricity boiling his veins, and he howled in extreme hurt. Jester roared insanely from the attack and lifted Larxene, prepared to snap her throat with his teeth.

The next moment happened in a flash.

A red-and-gold portal ripped open in front of Axel, and the next second Roxas was out of the pyro's arms.

From behind Jester rang an ear-ripping shot, and the werewolf dropped Larxene like a rag doll.

The werewolf collapsed, and Larxene, from her seat on the ground, could see a dark spot on Jester's back, where blood leaked from the wound. Her head whipped up, and she saw Mortica.

Mortica. The woman was holding a gun in her right hand, the weapon still positioned in front of her. In her left arm she cradled Roxas, who had begun crying again. "I told him to only subdue you all," Mortica said to the now silent group. "I clearly stated that it would be ME to kill you, Larxene." Mortica whipped her head to the side. "Sinka!" she commanded.

Sinka's head snapped up to the woman, but said nothing.

"Why did you bring the child to them?"

"I... I-I..." Sinka trembled, feeling her mind begin to snap apart.

"No more from you, you wretch!" Mortica snapped, and aimed the gun at Sinka.

At that moment Sinka's humanity hid itself. She was all wolf now, and the fight-or-flight reflex sprung into action. Sinka stood rigid, then whipped away into the trees, toward the city.

Mortica shot, but missed. She hissed in frustration, but turned away to run through a portal.

"Come back here, you bitch!" Larxene commanded. She proceeded to go forward while the portal was still there, but Axel beat her to it.

He said over his shoulder, "I'll get Roxas; you go get Sinka! You said you'd help her, Larxene. Keep your word!" He disappeared through the portal.

Larxene nearly wailed out loud. She bit her lip until she felt blood, then she stared down at Jester's limp form. She could detect faint breathing; he was still alive. Larxene looked to the rest of the group: Marluxia was staring dumbfounded at the spot where Axel and Mortica had disappeared; Xemnas was in the center of the ring formed by Demyx, Zexion, and Luxord; Jink and Strafe were beside the Assassin.

"Everyone stay here!" Larxene commanded before running through the forest to find Sinka.


	19. Wolf Cry And Fox Grin

Larxene raced through the forest, calling Sinka's name while barely managing to follow the trail of blood that the shapeshifter was leaving behind. Larxene skidded to a stop when she heard a loud whimpering, the sound high and whistling. The Nymph turned her head and saw Sinka trying to shelter under a dead tree, licking her wounds. "Sinka," Larxene called, catching the wolf-girl's attention.

Sinka whimpered, her golden eyes glittered fearfully and she turned tail, passing the last few trees and breaking into the city.

"Sinka, no!" Larxene cried desperately, blitzing up to the wolf-girl by means of her lightning and tackling her to the wet ground. The two were in a heap now, Larxene holding Sinka in an arm-lock and facing the sidewalk and street, the latter quiet but for the occasional rushing vehicle. "Sinka, it's alright!" Larxene said in the wolf's ear. "I know Mortica lied to you, and you didn't deserve that! I know you were unjustly exiled! You didn't deserve any of these awful events that happened to you!"

Sinka whined again, struggling to get out of Larxene's hold. She just wanted to get away from everything, just escape it all and start life anew somewhere else. Because of her, many strays had fallen before her teeth and claws. Because of her, an infant would die tonight; an infant who... didn't do anything wrong. Sinka parted her jaws wide, and from her soul came a tormented, screaming howl.

Larxene was frozen by the sheer, raw emotion in that song, and she was unaware of her slackening grip.

Sinka yelped and tore out of Larxene's grip, terrified. Her sharp ears picked up Larxene's exclamation amongst the pounding rain.

"Sinka!" Larxene shouted frantically, trying to grab the fleeing wolf. _"Sinka, the road!"_

Sinka was in the middle of the road when the headlights truly hit her frightened eyesight. In the pouring rain and rushing wind, the driver didn't see Sinka at all; all they felt was the massive bump on their front. Still, they drove off into the distance, only this time picking up speed.

Larxene stood frozen once more, dumbfounded as she saw the vehicle strike Sinka head-on, the wolf flying off to the side slightly with a short yelp. Larxene put her slender hand to her lips, taking in a quick breath, her cerulean eyes widened as she took in the ragged form in the empty street. The Nymph regained herself and sprinted toward Sinka, the rain and something salty stinging her eyes.

"Sinka...?," Larxene said waveringly, on her knees and reaching out to touch the still wolf. She couldn't tell where fur and blood began and ended, as both were the same shade. Sinka's fur was patched in some places, spiky and stiff in others. "Sinka...?" Larxene tried again, gently shaking the silent form. The Nymph looked at Sinka's face, and took in, with grave acceptance, the unmoving face and closed eyes and slightly open muzzle, blood leaking feebly from the mouth. "I'm so sorry..."

Larxene reached forward again to scoop up the wolf, when Sinka coughed weakly. One golden eye opened up and located Larxene. "I'm sorry," she finally said, but the words were so broken and faint that Larxene had to lean forward to properly catch them. "I'm sorry for taking your baby...," Sinka choked. "Mortica told me to... because she said it would... count as revenge on you... She said when we first met... that she would be my new mother... That's all I wanted... A mother... Or at least... someone to love me again..." Sinka closed her eyes, and for a moment Larxene thought she was gone, but they reopened. "But I realized that... I should never have... sacrificed a child of another in order to... feel like one to Mortica..." Sinka barely, ever so barely, lifter her head to look at Larxene, and the Nymph could see that the eye that was closest to the ground was swollen shut with blood caking the surface. The one good eye swirled with a certain desperate desire that Larxene found hard to look away from... Not that she wanted to, anyway.

"Larx...ene...," Sinka said, struggling to breathe. "Do you... Can you... forgive me...?"

Larxene stroked Sinka's muzzle. "Sinka," she began steadily, "your ignorance was wrongly taken advantage of and bent to someone else's means. You honestly believed I killed your sister, because you were manipulated by someone who said they'd be your mother. Had you gone on keeping my son away from me even after you learned the truth, I would never have forgiven you.

"But you redeemed yourself, Sinka. Even though Mortica..." Larxene regained her regular breathing. "Even though Mortica took Roxas again, you still redeemed yourself.

"I forgive you."

Sinka's eye cleared, clarity shining for a split second. Sinka's wolfish head lowered as she gave a groan of brief pain before releasing a final rattle of breath. Her body stopped functioning altogether, and Larxene hung her head for Bellacruxia's sister.

* * *

Axel glared mutinously at Mortica, who only stared at him through cruel, hooded eyes. She held Roxas in the crook of her arm, the infant crying loudly. "Hand him over," Axel said quietly, his emerald eyes flickering with smoldering rage. The two were in the main hall of the castle entrance, and Axel had his back to the door; Mortica had her back to a set of stairs. The dark marble walls shone with ghostly radiance wherever the moon broke through the window, and a streak of that light rested on Axel's back.

Mortica sauntered over to him, her body temperature heating over, and she was soon face to face with the pyro, Roxas between them, but still firmly in Mortica's hold. "You have a beautiful son, you know that?" she said sweetly, softly.

Axel only returned her eyes of ice with his blazing emerald orbs, silent.

Mortica smiled, his absence of reaction predictable. With her free hand, she trailed her slim fingers along Axel's jaw line longingly, her eyes betraying the lust she felt for him. "Why did you have to be with her?" she found herself whispering.

Axel knew she had let her guard fall, though Mortica didn't know that she had dropped it in the first place. He blinked, and all the rage and indignation was carefully and expertly hidden behind masks of wistfulness. "Why did you have to show up after I fell in love with her?" Axel said just as soft, feeling Roxas' tiny hand grip the pyro's own larger one. As if sensing his father's plan, Roxas silenced himself quickly.

Mortica allowed a spark to dance in her heart. "When I realized that you were Larxene's lover," Mortica went on, "I pummeled myself for... falling for you."

Axel tilted his head and leaned forward just an inch, working his hand out of Mortica's eyesight slowly, slowly... His green eyes stared at Mortica's face intensely, knowing she was losing herself in him, nearly forgetting about the current situation, probably forgetting that she had just stolen his and Larxene's son and was holding him now within Axel's range.

_"Mortica,"_ Axel said softly, slowly. He grinned lazily. "Sounds like forbidden candy on my tongue."

"Allow me to make that analogy a reality," Mortica offered seductively, studying his lips almost sadly. She wanted him; she was killing herself by just standing in front of him and not doing anything. Something had to happen; he had to take the lead soon, or she just might shove him against the wall and ravish him by whatever means. She took his face in her hand, prompting him to make the first move.

Axel sent a suggestive smile that made Mortica shiver and warm in more places than one, the heated feeling amplified by one of Axel's hands stroking her soft neck. Mortica craned her head back and moaned softly.

_Fool,_ Axel thought bitterly._ Never expose your neck to the enemy._

"We come from opposing sides," Mortica whispered against his lips, yet still not brushing them, "yet I feel so strongly for you... You walk in my dreams, and you hold me, touch me, love me. But at least, right now, my wildest dreams could be fulfilled if I can have one thing from you..."

"And what is that?" Axel asked, feeling the close proximity of their lips.

"Just... a kiss." Mortica looked into his eyes longingly, pleadingly.

Axel returned her look with unreadable emotions. "Of course, _Amore_," he responded.

At that last word Mortica's eyes nearly widened, for she was reminded of one who had truly stood by her side through and through, who had risen her up from the ashes when things got to be too much, who had livened up her solitary life, who had always tried to protect her from even himself.

And she had literally just shot him in the back.

Axel, meanwhile, was relishing in the fact that he would soon reclaim his son.

He nearly closed the gap, and Axel was aware of Mortica in sudden and unexpected limbo between staying still and responding. Axel acted now.

Axel reeled back, pulling his secure hold on Roxas back, the infant now safely in his arms. Axel smirked at Mortica's stunned expression, as well her enraged and ashamed turmoil in her eyes. He paid them no heed though, and the sly pyro snapped his fingers. Instantly fire bloomed all around Mortica in the shape of a fox's open jaws, come to gobble up the gingerbread who thought she wouldn't get caught, despite all her gloating. Mortica screamed aloud as the flaming teeth scorched her body, showing no mercy.

"No mercy, no more," Axel replied silkily, emerald eyes narrowed to slits in cunning triumph. "You wanted to sleep with the fire, Mortica?" he asked loudly to the burning woman. "Well, guess what? You _are_."

Mortica screamed as the tears leaked from her eyes. The fire licked her body, touched her everywhere, seized her face; all the things she wanted, but not from _this _fire. Was Axel just like this, too? Unpredictable and deceiving; two-faced and illusionary? Oh, why...

Mortica heaved a spasm from her sobbing as she toppled to the cold floor, and the embers burst into a final inferno on her before fading away. She had nothing in her being left to even cry out to voice the sheer agony she was feeling in so many forms. She noticed, through blurry eyes, that Axel was approaching her now, with that cursed grin still on his face. "What now, Axel Foxgrin?" Mortica spat pitifully, still on her side and near unconsciousness or possibly worse.

"What now?" Axel repeated. "We wait."

He turned his head just after he finished his statement; the large double-doors to the castle's entrance were opening. Axel could see the silhouettes of Demyx, Marluxia, Zexion, Luxord, and the supported forms of Xemnas and Jester, the latter who had reverted back to his human form, having his werewolf weakened horribly by the gunshot and thus suppressed once more by Jester himself. But it was who was leading that group that caught Axel and Mortica's attention.

Larxene was coming toward her former best friend, the limp and bloody body of Sinka in her arms.

* * *

**A/N: Axel wasn't being a meanie; he was tryin' to get his kid back. **


	20. Unexpected Aid

The Savage Nymph paced forward with a grave, steady gait as she approached the singed Mortica. She took in the burns and the tear-stained face of her former best friend; it appears that Axel had dealt an unforgettable blow on Mortica, whatever it was. Larxene stopped in front of Mortica, and waited for Mortica to shakily sit upright; it was all she could do right now.

"I hope you're plans are going smoothly so far," Larxene said, voice like sweet syrup. "You're getting what you wanted," she said, a smile gracing her lips. Her blue eyes resembled steel chips of ice as she locked her gaze with Mortica. "Tell me something: is everything that's happened so far proving to be worth it all?"

Mortica only stared back, her eyes nearly wavering.

Larxene went on. "Oh, it doesn't matter," she clucked. "So long as you get your revenge, right? So what if you shot your best friend in the back? So what if you orchestrated the murder of an innocent newborn? _So what_ if you brought about the death of someone who loved you like a daughter?" Larxene sneered in disgust and loathing. The Savage Nymph crouched down and lay Sinka gently on the floor between the two. Her hand whipped out and grabbed Mortica's chin, forcing the woman to look at the wolf-girl's cold body. "Look at her," Larxene said quietly, relishing in Mortica's rigid state. "Look at what's left of her. She is no longer the wolf at your side." She leaned in on Mortica's ear and whispered darkly, "She is the albatross around your neck."

Mortica reeled back angrily, her eyes churning with black rage. Her teeth ground together angrily as she clenched her fists tightly, blood leaking from her fingernails digging into her flesh. Mortica began to tremble rigidly from her intense emotions clashing against each other. She paid no more heed to the burns on her body as she rose to face Larxene, who had straightened herself as well. "You were the cause of all this," Mortica whispered fiercely. "Because of you, I was tossed into the slums with my family. Many died all around me. I was exposed to the harshness of the world; you never knew what I went through!" she cried resentfully to the still woman, who watched her with the narrowed eyes of a hawk. "You never knew how strangers treated me: how they stole from me; how they beat me; how they raped me!" Mortica seethed openly at Larxene still, her breathe in sharp, hissing noises.

Larxene didn't betray her sympathy with so much as a blink; she remained gravely calm and stolid as she kept her arms folded at her chest. "You think you're so damn deserving of pity," Larxene finally said to the woman, disgusted. "And not once did you stop and realize that it's not just you who gets that treatment? There are thousands of people in thousands of worlds who have gone through the same as you, Mortica; don't single yourself out. It kills the pity. You have a choice in everything; it's what you choose to do _afterward_ that counts in a situation like that." Larxene flexed her fingers. "You blame _me_ for what _others_ did to you?! How narrow-minded can you get after all these years?"

Mortica's rage grew the more Larxene spoke. Now she couldn't handle all that was boiling up from within. She flew at Larxene, clawing and biting whatever she could get; Larxene moved her body back and the two rolled to the floor and grappled with each other, losing themselves in each other and no one else.

Jester watched sadly as the two women wrestled together on the floor. His tricolored eyes reflected the melancholy that was in all the eyes of the group, paying witness to this corrupt friendship.

Demyx felt so strongly for the emotions of Larxene and Mortica, that he nearly cursed his empathy; so strong was he feeling the pain of it all.

Zexion could only gaze at the dueling enemies as the fought on the ground, his eyes swimming with sad acceptance.

Luxord stared soberly as the fight continued to unfold before them all, his clear blue eyes trying to fathom the strategy of their moves, but he could perceive none. This was a combat of raw and uncalculated dominance.

Xemnas was barely hanging onto his consciousness, but he could still see how his brave comrade fought against Mortica. The swell of pride in his heart nearly made him black out. _Fight, my virtuous friend,_ Xemnas said to himself. _Fight, and do what you know is right._

Marluxia cried in anguish in his mind for his dear sister. He knew that deep within her heart she was agonizing over the loss of her best friend over something that had happened eight years ago.

Axel was feeling the same emotions as Marluxia, but the pyro also knew that Larxene was lamenting for Mortica's inability to forgive.

"Zexion," Axel said quietly, and when the Schemer came over, the pyro asked, "Can you take Xemnas and Roxas back to your Infirmary? Please. I know you don't want to leave, but do this for me, friend." His emerald eyes, so pleading, reached Zexion in an instant.

Zexion took his godson and said softly, "Of course I will." He walked to Xemnas, who was being supported by Demyx and Luxord, and the group all left via portal.

Luxord couldn't help but poke his head back through the portal to exclaim to Axel, "Ten thousand munny says that Larxene wins!" He didn't wait for Axel's response; the Gambler went back through the portal the whole way, the anomaly disappearing completely.

Axel and Marluxia stood side by side as they turned back to the two battling women, their minds pleading for their beloved friend to come back.

Larxene swiped her nails across Mortica's breastplate, and Mortica retaliated by biting Larxene's wrist and clamping down mercilessly. Larxene cried out in pain and tried wrenching her wrist away, but Mortica herself let go and went for the Nymph's neck, aiming true. Larxene tried rolling sideways, but Mortica had been trained by Jester himself how to pin someone down in a seemingly impossible position, and soon Mortica was on top, her teeth on Larxene's neck still.

Larxene gasped raggedly for air while trying to break free of Mortica's expert hold; it was in vain, for Mortica managed to constrict all of the Nymph's limbs.

_I won't go out like this!_ Larxene screamed. But she could feel her lungs thundering in a smothering cage, and Larxene knew that she would die.

_You won't go out like this? I certainly hope not! Pinned on the bottom in a match of dominance like this!_

Larxene managed to gasp, for she knew the voice... _You..._

_Agree with me, I must be wrong. I will lend you my strength, and see that you come out alive and victorious._

Already Larxene felt a strange energy rush through her, and she found herself freeing her legs to kick up Mortica and thus get out of Mortica's death lock on her neck. _How are you... doing this...?_ Larxene once more grappled with Mortica as she asked that question in her mind.

_When Sinka died,_ came the response, _I came to pick up her soul, which was harbored in a state of purgatory, where all souls first come to before going further. She told me that someone was in dire need of help, and when I learned it was you, I predictably desired to decline the plea._

_Gee, thanks._ Larxene swung a powerful blow to Mortica's head, and Mortica barreled into the Savage Nymph's stomach, knocking the breath out of her. More energy supported her as she rebounded back and locked arms with the black-haired woman. _So why did you come?_

_Because, you meat-bag, you are my instrument for my redemption. My redemption to my younger sister for exiling her unjustly. And I also want to use you to punish that woman for lying to Sinka and using her the way she did._

Larxene grinned sardonically. Now she was winning once more, as her strength, as well as the strength she was being loaned, was beginning to overpower the already weakened Mortica. _So, there IS a heart in that black hole somewhere after all._

Inside Larxene's mind, Bellacruxia growled.

* * *

Zexion stroked Roxas' forehead, the infant still spooked about the whole situation that had happened. He looked up at Zexion, green eyes pleading not to be put down. Zexion cooed to the infant while holding him still. "You're safe again, and your mother and father will be back soon. I promise."

Behind the Schemer, the door opened, and Vexen approached the younger man. "Zexion!" he exclaimed upon seeing Roxas in the Schemer's arms. "I have something crucial to tell you about Roxas!"

Zexion had hardly seen Vexen so excited; he was usually like this whenever he had a new experiment to carry out. "What is it?"

Vexen quietly told Zexion what he had found out, and even Zexion smiled a genuine smile.

* * *

**A/N: Allow me to explain Bellacruxia's coming more clearly. See, when Sinka died, her spirit went to be harbored in a state of purgatory. Bellacruxia's spirit crossed over, in a sense, to take Sinka's soul and guide her back to where the other Santor spirits go. But Sinka pleaded with her sister to somehow help Larxene, and thus an overview of the whole story between her and Mortica came out. Bellacruxia had finally relented, and the former Santor Queen crossed over once more to lend Larxene her strength. This is actually very rare, and Bellacruxia's appearance in the mind of someone from the waking world is temporary, especially since she is Sinka's ticket to go to the rest of the Santors and away from purgatory.**

**Even more rare is the fact that Bellacruxia is even able to successfully come into Larxene's mind at all, since she has no blood or spiritual connections with her. _If_ the procedure had been done wrong, Bellacruxia would've been in deep trouble; she would've been thrust back into the living, stuck in Larxene's mind, and Sinka would be stuck in purgatory. **


	21. Bellacruxia's Request

Larxene swung at Mortica's head, aiming true as the black-haired woman went sprawling away from the impact. Larxene snarled and sprang at the woman from four legs, biting down on Mortica's arm until she drew blood.

Bellacruxia moaned euphorically. _It's been awhile since I've tasted blood... _Sensing that Mortica was preparing to spring her energy to shove Larxene off of her, Bellacruxia sent another surge of power through Larxene. Larxene smashed Mortica back to the ground, pinning her by her arms. Larxene's jaws lingered over Mortica's neck now, ready for the finality punishment.

"Mortica," Jester whimpered, beside Axel but slumped in submission.

Larxene's bared teeth were covered once more by slackened lips at Jester's whimper. She took in Mortica's eyes, which were staring right back at her, and noticed how the ice blue were wavering with intense fear and anguish. But beneath that, Larxene detected something else... Mortica, all of a sudden, _wanted_ to die...

_What are we waiting for?_ Bellacruxia asked seethingly. _Finish her, and be done with it._

Larxene shook her head, her mind ringing with clarity. _No, Bellacruxia,_ she thought.

_Why?!_ Bellacruxia howled, indignant. _You now have the right to take away her life!_

_'Right'? Who said anything about a 'right'? NO ONE has the 'right' to take ANYONE'S life away, no matter what they've done. They were born just like you and me; life is one of the greatest things someone can be given, and no one should have the right to take that away, for we have been given the same thing. Yes, we kill, but sometimes it can't be helped. My own leader once had to kill a member of our Organization because he had been jeopardizing us, threatening to kill half of us. He nearly succeeded, and when our leader caught him in the act, he had no choice but to kill him. _

Bellacruxia was silent the whole while. _But why don't you kill her?_ she asked, and Larxene could detect the uncertainty and wonder in Bellacruxia's voice.

Larxene was still using Bellacruxia's strength to keep Mortica pinned down as she answered, _Because Mortica WANTS to die. If we kill her, we'd be giving her what she wants. Let's keep her alive, for she is ageless like me, and she will live on with her guilt._

_Hm... _Bellacruxia seemed to be considering the aspect. After a second of thought, she said,_ Very well._ Larxene could feel the former Santor Queen's wolfish grin in her mind. _Slow and painful, rather than quick and painless. I love it. But how will she pay for Sinka's death? _The last thought came as a growl, and Larxene felt the hostility raising the hair along the back of her neck.

_I've shown Sinka's body to Mortica and put it in front of her, letting her know that this was entirely her fault that your sister was killed. Mortica will live on with that guilt, possibly even rot from the inside because of it. _

Bellacruxia mumbled an agreement, and Larxene took her hold off of Mortica and rose gracefully, despite her injuries; Bellacruxia's lent strength was keeping her up and stable. "Mortica," Larxene said coolly, "why do you wish to die all of a sudden?"

At that Mortica angrily exhaled, causing the tears to cascade downward. "What have I done?" she seethed vehemently. "Larxene, the moment your teeth hovered above my throat, visions of what have happened flashed before my eyes. Visions of what have happened because of me!" Mortica bit her lip, ignoring the blood that was pouring from the split. "I manipulated an innocent child and tried teaching her to kill for sport!"

Bellacruxia growled, lamenting uncomfortably that she had once been the same way during her tyranny as Queen.

Mortica continued. "I kidnapped your son and planned to kill him! I even shot the one person who truly appreciated me in the back!" She shot an anguished look at Jester, who only stared back with surprised tricolored eyes.

_Bellacruxia, look at her,_ Larxene convinced. _She knows that what she has done was in the wrong. _"I'll not kill you, Mortica," Larxene stated.

_You've gone soft!_ Bellacruxia exclaimed. _If that were ME right there, you'd've killed me on the spot!_

_It if were YOU?_ Larxene challenged, smirking inside. _MORTICA never went around killing innocents, or trying to kill everything in the way of her goal, and she wouldn't abuse her son -if she had one- to the point where he runs away._

_Meat-bag..._ Bellacruxia grumbled, settling down.

"What will you do with me?" Mortica asked tentatively.

Larxene's eyes grew cold. "I'll let you live on with your guilt. You are ageless, fixed on your current age forevermore.

Mortica's eyes grew wide; to live on forever with the guilt was a punishment worse than death indeed.

"If you kill yourself," Larxene went on, flexing her fingers as blood trailed down from her arm, "you _know_ you'll be running away from your punishment." She leaned in on Mortica, cupping the woman's bloody chin. "Do you know why I'm letting you live?" the Savage Nymph asked quietly.

Mortica was silent, harsh breathing hurting her broken rib.

"I'm letting you live because I know you want to redeem yourself," Larxene said. Letting her hand drop, the Nymph told Mortica, "Get up."

"I can't," Mortica growled, hating herself for admitting such weakness. Blood rivered from a cut on her stomach, and her muscles ached painfully. She knew she was pretty beat up, and that she was far worse off than Larxene, who seemed to have gained some alien strength in the middle of her fight...

"Mortica!" Jester called, running toward her; the bullet had been removed from his wounded shoulder by Zexion just before the group had left for the castle. He still hurt, but he figured that Mortica was far worse, injured in so many ways. Jester supported the woman, letting her lean on his good shoulder.

_That man,_ Bellacruxia said warily. _He's a werewolf._

_Yes, he is,_ Larxene replied._ How'd you figure that out?_

_The same way I knew you were with child,_ Bellacruxia answered solemnly. _I just know._

_Odd..._

_Larxene..., _Bellacruxia said steadily, and the Savage Nymph realized that this was the first time Bellacruxia had actually used her real name. _Will you let me see Sinka's body?_

_Of course, _Larxene answered awkwardly, walking over to the cold corpse. Larxene took off her gloves and ran her slim fingers along Sinka's flank for Bellacruxia. Tracing her slim finger along one of Sinka's ebony streaks, Larxene thought, _She looks just like you. When I first saw her, I actually thought she WAS you, back from the dead somehow._

_We both get our looks from our mother,_ Bellacruxia answered. _Whom this concerns upon my next request._

_Pardon?_

_When this is over, I wish for you to take Sinka's body back to our Santor grounds. Take her to our mother, and issue a proper burial for her. She deserves it._

_Your mother? _Larxene was momentarily thrown off guard.

_Yes. Stok is the substitute leader now, is he not?_

_Yeah..._

_Then contact him, and tell him that Sinka was innocent the whole time. That she deserves a proper burial. I wish for you to personally talk to our mother for me._

_I've... never met your mother before..., _Larxene thought as she watched Jester licking the top of Mortica's head, to clean off the blood.

_You'll know who she is,_ Bellacruxia assured simply. _I will stay with you until I see Sinka's body burn in the burial pit._

_Very well, Bellacruxia._

Larxene turned around to see Axel and Marluxia coming toward her quickly. Marluxia embraced the Savage Nymph gently, but Larxene's head rumbled inside from Bellacruxia's furious snarl. Larxene wondered about the sudden animosity, until she remembered that it was the Assassin who had sliced through Ranik's spine, even though the former King was not the intended target. "Sister," Marluxia soothed, stroking her hair, "I'm so very proud of you. You did the most incredible thing; such honor you have obtained over the years."

Bellacruxia sniffed.

It was Axel's turn to hold the Savage Nymph, and Larxene breathed in his scent greedily, feeling his tangible form to be almost overwhelming, after all the unlikeliness of some of the past events. "Oh, Axel...," she whispered tiredly, nuzzling the nape of his neck.

_Oooh, he smells delicious,_ Bellacruxia teased, licking her lips.

_Back off, bitch,_ Larxene huffed.

_Oh, please,_ Bellacruxia retorted, grinning._ I've already got my eternal mate._

_How is Ranik?_ Larxene asked, her arms still around Axel's neck.

_Still as devoted as ever,_ Bellacruxia answered fondly._ Although now it returns to being both ways. But now it is my turn to ask a question. Tell me of your son._

_He's wonderful, _Larxene thought softly. _His name is Roxas. _

At that moment a portal materialized, and Zexion stepped through, alone. Bellacruxia growled, remembering the night she had attacked this young man, when she and her followers had ambushed the rebel meeting in Traverse Town. The silver-blue eye that she could see was gleaming with positive intensity as he looked at Larxene. "I see things have been sorted out," he stated calmly, but Bellacruxia utilized Larxene's sense of smell; she could tell that the young man was quite excited about something, despite his outward demeanor.

Larxene nodded. "Yes, they have," she answered, resting her head on Axel's chest, her head turned to Zexion. "It's... hard to explain..."

_Yes,_ Bellacruxia answered sarcastically, _but pretty much what happened was an old arch-enemy of mine came from the world beyond to help me, and we ended up not killing the damn woman, but let her live with her guilt, and now we're going to return good ol' Bella's sister to her home so she can be buried. _

_That's one way to put it..., _Larxene said humorously. "Is there something else on your mind, Zexion?"

"Indeed there is!" Zexion exclaimed softly. "Roxas' aging dilemma just might be solved."

Larxene's heart leapt to her throat, and she struggled to say, "H-How?"

"Vexen found a text that told him how to solve the problem," Zexion stated. His eyes grew solemn. "But in order to do it, we have to have a sort of trade..."

"A... trade?" Larxene asked while Bellacruxia cocked her ear.

Zexion looked at Mortica, who was slouched against the nearest wall, Jester licking her bloodied arm. "We must trade Roxas' aging for someone else' agelessness." He looked at Larxene now, whose blue eyes were sparking with ambivalence. Both noticed Mortica's and Jester's sudden interest.

"A trade?" Mortica repeated from her spot. "How shall the trade go about?" she asked warily.

Zexion was cautious as he replied, "In this case, someone would have to sacrifice their ageless ability, and transfer that energy into a special stone, which Vexen -our scientist- has actually collected already. There the agelessness waits until it is used on the one who is to receive it, an aging being."

"I see," Mortica answered, lowering her eyes in thought. She looked at Jester, who stared back at her with unreadable eyes. "I have to...," she whispered to him, knowing she was heard by all around her. "If I do this for her son, I redeem myself to them all."

_"Amore,"_ Jester said, concern furrowing his eyebrows. "Are you sure?"

"Never surer," Mortica said clearly as she stared back at Larxene. "Besides, it will also allow me to age naturally alongside you, my aging friend."

Jester's heart swelled as he took in the fact that Mortica was sacrificing something incredible for him and an infant.

"Mortica?" Larxene asked cautiously. "Truly?"

"Yes," Mortica answered wispily. Her vision began to blacken, and her head slumped into unconsciousness on Jester's shoulder.

* * *

Larxene gingerly picked up Sinka's body, acutely aware of Bellacruxia's watchful presence inside her mind.

"Where are you burying her?" Axel asked, scratching the back of Sinka's ear fleetingly. He and Jester had properly and personally made amends with each other, ensuring that their friendship was once again restored.

"I'm taking her back to her home," Larxene told her lover.

"Back?" Axel asked. "But... she was exiled."

_Because of me,_ Bellacruxia added regretfully.

"It's okay," Larxene reassured. "We'll tell Stok everything, and he'll revoke her exile. She is to have a proper burial... I promised she would."

Bellacruxia growled in approval and agreement.

* * *

**A/N: There will either be one or two more chapters after this, in which Sinka's burial and her and Bellacruxia's mother will be introduced. Among other things, y'know.**

**Oh, and the reason Jink and Strafe weren't in this chapter or the previous one is because Jink is outside keeping an eye on the injured Strafe.**

**...Alright, I can't hold it in any longer. I _seriously_ have to rant about this. Okay, for those of you have read the manga for Chain Of Memories, you know how Larxene dies. She's the ONLY member who dies a humiliating death: death by MAGIC WATER. Oooh, scary scary! Dude, she can get wet; nothing will happen. Larxene isn't a _pure_ elemental: she was given the power over electricity when she became a Nobody. But you know what else? I see this as an allusion to the death of the Wicked Witch Of The West from _The Wizard Of Oz, _to possibly insinuate that Larxene is some sort of witch personality-wise.The Witch died from a bucket of water thrown at her; Larxene had virtually the same treatment in the manga. If you've read the marvelous book Wicked, or saw the musical, you'll know that the Witch -Elphaba- was a misunderstood creature; the same can also be said for Larxene. Through my analysis of her, I can say that yes, Larxene was also misunderstood and a bit insecure. Both are said to be bad and wicked, when really they're the way they are because the world made them that way. I'm done.**


	22. Rossignol

Stok's golden eyes widened as he saw Larxene, as well as who was in her arms. "You... brought back Sinka," he said, disbelief evident in his swirling eyes. "Is she...?"

Larxene said nothing, only nodded. "I'll tell you and the rest the whole story. But right now, we must get Mortica to the Infirmary." She motioned with her head to where a young man was carrying the black-haired woman in his arms. "She's beat up pretty bad."

Stok grunted, currently unforgiving. "I can imagine."

_Oh, same here,_ Bellacruxia snipped disdainfully.

Zexion led Jester through a conjured portal, while Marluxia and Axel flanked Larxene on either side, following Stok to the meeting chamber to call an assembly. "Stok," Larxene called. "I have something important to talk to you about before we call the meeting."

The Beta turned. "Sure," he responded, all ears.

"I wish for you to revoke Sinka's exile," Larxene began, going straight to the point, much to Bellacruxia's approval. "She never did anything wrong back when Bellacruxia exiled her. And it turns out Mortica was manipulating her, tainting her instincts to hunt and kill, to ultimately use her on me and Roxas." Larxene's eyes were fixed on Stok's golden ones, the connection almost as physical as if she were actually shaking the Beta's shoulders for the request. "Sinka only complied because she wanted Mortica's love and approval. She wanted a mother."

Stok stiffened empathically. Shoulders relaxing, he said softly, "And you want me -the current leader- to revoke the exile so she can be buried in her home."

Larxene nodded steadily. "That, and also so her mother may see her daughter."

Stok's golden eyes flashed. "Bellacruxia and Sinka's mother?" he repeated.

_Isn't that what she just said?_ the she-wolf asked sarcastically, much to Larxene's slight chagrin.

Before Larxene could reply to either Stok or Bellacruxia, the Beta said softly, "She won't be happy to find her youngest daughter dead... But I see why you want to see her mother." He strode over to Larxene and gently stroked Sinka's flank, running his fingers along a black streak. "I'm sorry, Sinka...," he murmured softly.

Larxene's eyes focused on the Beta. "You... did nothing, Stok."

"Maybe not personally," Stok returned. "But as a leader, I sympathize with the feelings of all who I watch over. The Pack are my children, and I feel for them. Sinka as well. She didn't deserve this." He looked back to Larxene now. "I'll grant her the burial she does deserve, and therefore revoke her exile."

"Thank you," Larxene said quietly, nodding.

_I thank you, loyal Beta,_ Bellacruxia said.

* * *

Zexion fingered the round stone in his palm, reflecting on its resemblance to obsidian. A light sheen emitted from the very center, and Zexion gave a grateful look at Vexen, who simply nodded. Holding the stone securely in his hand, Zexion strode over to the sickbed in which Mortica was occupying; Jester was licking a dried wound by Mortica's ear, but when Zexion approached, he withdrew. Zexion nodded to the joker. "It is time for Mortica to sacrifice her agelessness," he stated to the two.

Mortica nodded solemnly. "Alright," she said quietly. "How does the procedure go?"

Zexion held out the stone in front of Mortica. "You must hold this carefully, for if it is held to anyone's heart, the stone automatically sucks out their ageless vitality. Be forewarned: it is not painless; but whatever you do, you must not pull the stone away during the process. If that happens, you're vitality can be fatally thrown off. Worst case scenario: you die within the hour."

Mortica's eyes wavered slightly, but she held her resolve. "Very well," she replied softly, and Jester nudged her hand encouragingly.

Zexion waited until Mortica gently enfolded the small stone in her palm, putting it to her chest. Just before she opened her hand to make her skin contact with the stone, she placed her other hand on Jester's head. Mortica placed the stone directly onto her skin now, and instantly she felt the stone react like a vacuum sucking at her heart. She grabbed a tuft of Jester's hair; the young man whimpered to himself, but did not retreat. Mortica could feel the streamline leaving her like rushing water finally set free to course away as fast as it could. Mortica whimpered in a cry of pain, but not once did she consider removing the stone; she was, after all, doing this for someone's infant son...

Mortica's eyes squeezed shut as the strange sensation escalated into its climax, nearly spiraling out of control. Her eyes snapped open as the pain suddenly stopped; she looked at the stone: it was swirling actively with purple streams writhing together inside the center. Her ageless vitality.

"There we go," Zexion murmured, taking the stone carefully. "Now all Roxas has to do is have the stone placed upon his own open chest to have your agelessness granted to him."

"Right now?" Mortica asked.

"No," Zexion answered patiently. "When and if he's ready. When he's older."

Mortica nodded. "Even if he doesn't choose to take it," she said tiredly, "I have no regrets. I age now, and I see it as the better alternative." She rested her head on the palm of Jester's open hand to doze.

* * *

Creena sighed nervously to herself; she hadn't seen this woman since far before the whole Bellacruxia incident, and even then she scarcely knew her. She was only retrieving her because Stok had asked her to. Holding the drowsy Cher close to her chest, Creena knocked on the large chamber doors, the hollow thuds reverberating along the dark hallways. Waiting for the next few seconds, Creena recalled in her mind what she was supposed to do. If all was being timed properly, Stok should be addressing the whole Pack right now, and removing Sinka's exile. In order for things to proceed smoothly, Creena had to come back with the person she was sent to retrieve.

The Santor blinked when the door opened with a heavy creak. The shadows veiled most of the older woman, but Creena heard the voice clearly. "Yes, kit?" The voice was strangely eloquent but with authority. However, Creena knew that the owner of the voice was slightly tired with oncoming age. It was evident with her graying hair and air of experience.

"I don't think you've seen me around," Creena began steadily. "My name--"

"I remember you," came the quick retort. "You're Stok's mate. What do you ask of me?"

"I ask that you come to the burial grounds of the castle, please," Creena asked politely.

"I hardly attend those anymore," the slender woman spat quietly. "You know that." For a long time, ever since Bellacruxia had taken the title of Queen, she had taken to the more quieter halls of the Santor castle; this area was practically her own.

"But," Creena quickly said, "it's for your youngest daughter!"

The woman stiffened. "Sinka?" she rasped. "My daughter?"

Creena nodded. "I'll tell you the whole story as we walk to the burial grounds..."

For a moment, Creena thought she would refuse, but the older woman relaxed her shoulders and relented with a "Very well."

* * *

Larxene set Sinka's cold body down for the first time since picking it back up at Mortica's castle after her fight. A cold breeze tugged at her hair as she eyed the clean burial pit, where eventually Stok and whoever was close to Sinka before her exile would light it up, burning the body to ashes. She surveyed the area, counting each of the Organization members as they mingled with the Pack in scattered numbers. Mortica and Jester were here as well, despite the sketchy proposition of coming in the first place; however, Stok and Larxene knew well to keep the Pack off of the two. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt Bellacruxia begin to stir restlessly in her mind. _What is it?_

_I feel something, _Bellacruxia answered. _Like we're going to meet someone soon... _

_Does the feeling foretell malignance from this person?_

_No. Just... it's an unshakeable feeling._

Larxene pondered on this until she heard someone call out, "Part! Rossignol is coming!" The Savage Nymph felt Bellacruxia stiffen and make her blood run cold. _Rossignol?_ Larxene asked.

_Rossignol is..._ Bellacruxia could barely finish her sentence, for Larxene saw a wolf loping toward her. She was beginning to show the signs of age, what with her grey-tinged muzzle and red fur touched with silver. The streaks along her flank still shone with ebony however, and Larxene began to conclude who this was. The Nymph felt Bellacruxia's urge to bow to the wolf, but she herself didn't channel out the impulse. Instead, Larxene waited until the aging wolf came up and looked at her, brilliant golden eyes flickering with recognition.

"I've heard of you," came the neutral voice of the old wolf. "You are Larxene."

"Indeed I am," Larxene answered solemnly, nodding once. "I believe you are Rossignol?"

The wolf nodded. "Yes. Stok's mate has told me of Sinka, and I am here to witness her proper burial. I thank you for bringing her back to me." Her golden eyes swirled briefly with suppressed pain. She leapt on the thick rim of the burial pit to face the rest of the Pack, who had gathered in a large cluster now. Her voice ringing to the whole crowd, she said, "It is meaningless now to blame Bellacruxia for my youngest daughter's exile. Sinka is back home, where she has always belonged. It is also meaningless to ponder Sinka's possible fate had she indeed never been exiled; who is to say? She is gone now." Rossignol's voice briefly shook, but she cleared her throat with a growl. "The only thing we can do now for her is respect her burial and sing for her, just as would do for any other fellow Pack member."

With every word, Bellacruxia shook more furiously inside, and because of the deux-emotions that she and Larxene shared, the Nymph felt the lacrymosa welling up inside her being. Her eyes felt warm, and her hands were shaking.

With a swish of her tail, Rossignol signaled for Stok, below her on the ground, to hand her the flaming torch he had lit with Axel's assistance. Taking the torch carefully in her jaws, Rossignol connected the flame with Sinka's furred body. Soon the embers rose into an inferno, and the Pack all shifted into their respective forms, circling the burial pit, yowling and howling to the stars.

As Larxene witnessed the scene, she felt Bellacruxia's conflicted emotions more physically as if they were her own. She continued to stare into the fire, and she didn't even turn her head when Axel came to her from the side.

Giving her a gentle nudge, he whispered, "Are you alright?"

She finally turned her head to him, her blue eyes glittering. "I can barely explain it," was all she said.

Axel took her in his arms, and Larxene continued watching the procession, as well as Rossignol; the wolf -still on the ledge- had thrown her head back and unleashed the most lamentable howl Larxene had heard in ages. Her grandson Strafe was below her, and the young yellow wolf was crying in his howls as well. Larxene knew that inside somewhere the boy felt slightly responsible for Sinka's death. Passing him by was Jink, who caterwauled with sorrowful anguish; he too, was personally lamenting over Sinka. He would never forget that she had saved his life.

On the other side of the burial pit, Larxene could see Mortica with Jester behind her. The woman's eyes were brimming with regret and a glimmer of self-loathing. Jester's pain was more open; his tri-colored eyes absolutely gleamed with melancholy at the loss of the little girl who had grown a kind of close bond with him.

As Larxene looked at Strafe again, Bellacruxia felt an extreme pang of regret and sadness for her son; she sobbed angrily at how she had treated him during the time she was alive. _My son,_ she wept, feeling the emotion of everything only piling up all the more. _My beautiful son... My innocent sister... My dear mother... How I regret the way I treated you all..._

Larxene was silent, but was aware of the single tear that slid down her cheek.

* * *

**A/N: The word 'rossignol' is Russian for 'nightingale'. The funny thing is that no one's Russian in the story.**

**And deux-emotions are emotions of one entity influenced or amplified by another, even though the feelings of both might be completely different from each other.**

**Anyway, I'm quite sure there will be one more chapter of this, sadly...**


	23. Dawn Of Sunset

_It's time for me to go._

Larxene's weary head lifted itself up from Axel's chest. She had been thinking for about an hour, staring into the inferno bonfire, when Bellacruxia had made this statement. _Ah,_ was what the Nymph said at first. _Will you take Sinka back to the Santor ancestors?_

_Yes. She's waiting for me back in Purgatory._

Before Larxene could reply, Axel nudged her. "I think Roxas wants to see you," he said mirthfully, motioning with his head to the direction in front of him. Larxene looked, and saw Strafe and Jink walking toward them, a bundle in the Cub Prince's arms. Larxene knew Bellacruxia hadn't left just yet now; the stirring in her mind was telltale enough.

"Roxas wanted to see you guys," Strafe said as he handed the child over to Larxene. "I think he's tired..." Beside him, Jink nodded remorsefully. The two youths were still broken over Sinka's death, but Larxene and Axel could see that they were visibly struggling not to be too depressed.

Larxene cupped Strafe's face and whispered, "Don't blame yourself, Strafe. You did nothing to Sinka." Her thumb stroked his cheek. "It all happened out of your possible control."

Strafe nodded slowly after a while. "Okay, mommy," he said quietly.

Bellacruxia produced a tiny whimper. Larxene held Roxas close to her chest, and she felt Axel place his chin on her shoulder to look down at his son. _Bellacruxia,_ Larxene thought softly, _were you about to leave? _She was gentle in her prompt, and Bellacruxia reacted with no hostility.

_Yes, I'd best..._, the she-wolf answered somberly. _I can do nothing now for Strafe, nor mother. _

_Farewell, Larxene, Mistress Of Lightning._

_Farewell, Bellacruxia, Lady Of The Wolves._

And, like dew evaporating in the morning, the presence of Bellacruxia Santor faded from Larxene's mind, until there was only the Savage Nymph herself again.

* * *

Larxene curled herself into a loose arc around Roxas, the infant smiling and producing gurgles of delight at finally being home again with his mother. Roxas opened his mouth and made an infant's cry of delight. His green eyes glowed with intrigue and innocence, the slivers of blue glittering like ice. Larxene smiled and ran her fingers through his red hair, sliding them up so that his hair almost resembled spikes.

Larxene's ears perked at a strange, rushing sound originating from the center of her room. A black-and-green vortex had opened up , and Larxene awaited the newcomer. A wolf slunk through, and Larxene breathed a cautious sigh. "Rossignol," she stated.

"Evening, Larxene," Rossignol returned politely. She strode over and placed her head on the edge of the bed, her muzzle within easy reach for Roxas. Her golden eyes kindled with faint delight as Roxas reached for her grey muzzle, stroking along the bridge of her nose. Rossignol tenderly licked Roxas' fingers, and the child smiled, his eyes huge.

"Did you wish to speak to me, Rossignol?" Larxene asked, curious.

Rossignol stared at her, golden eyes searching electric blue ones. "Actually, yes," she murmured. "I want to know how long Bellacruxia was with you."

Larxene was mentally thrown off her feet. "Pardon?" Her eyebrows furrowed.

"Bellacruxia was inside your mind at Sinka's burial," Rossignol stated. "I sensed her behind your eyes. Do not think I don't know my own firstborn, whatever form she may inhabit."

Larxene propped herself on her elbows. "She was with me ever since I fought Mortica hand-to-hand. That was a few hours before you saw Sinka. She left a bit after the burial was properly over."

Rossignol nodded slowly. "What did she have to say about her family?"

Larxene barely detected the longing and remorse in the older woman's voice. "She was extremely regretful of what she'd done; to you and to Sinka and to Strafe. Everyone. She was crying... I felt all of it as if the feelings were my own..."

Rossignol nimble hopped on the bed, mindful of Roxas, and lay in an arc around Larxene's upper body. "She regrets what she had done," Rossignol said, licking Larxene's cheek. "She sought to redeem herself. In a way, she did use you as her instrument for that redemption: by aiding you, by requesting Sinka's burial as I know she did." The Santor elder nuzzled Roxas lightly, making him gurgle happily. "Such a beautiful son you have," Rossignol admired. "He will make you stronger, that is absolute."

Larxene rested her head along Rossignol's silver-red flank, matching her rhythmic breathing. After a few hours, Rossignol lifted her head and yawned; Larxene could see every sharp white tooth in her jaws. "It's time for me to depart," the she-wolf said solemnly.

"At least for right now, right?" Larxene blurted. She blinked, confused, and mentally kicked herself for saying such an immature and childish response.

Rossignol blinked slowly in understanding at the Savage Nymph. "I'll not leave this world for a while still," came the soft response. The silver-red wolf went forward and licked Larxene's cheek, then nuzzled her neck. "But if it is allowed, I wish to see your son from time to time."

"Of course," Larxene breathed, still staring into Rossignol's wolf-gold eyes.

Rossignol lowered her head in thanks, slipping smoothly off the bed with liquid grace. Just before she stepped through the Whirlportal, the older woman turned her head back.

"Farewell for now, daughter."

Larxene could only stare after Rossignol's fleeting form as the she-wolf disappeared. The Savage Nymph stared at that now vacant spot until her door was knocked upon. Startled out of her reverie, the Nymph called a soft "Come in." Her heart swelled as she saw Axel walk through the threshold, closing the door with a soft click. "Did you see Jester and Mortica off?" she asked cordially.

Axel nodded, smiling softly at her. "Yeah," he answered. "Mortica just needs to be supported mentally now; she's still thrown off over Sinka."

"So she should be," Larxene replied, unable to bite back the response. Her blue eyes swirled over with affection though, as she gazed at her lover. Axel walked over and crawled behind Larxene, lying down and resting his chin on her curved side. His emerald orbs watched his son with mirth as the boy lifted a little finger to point at his father. Or at least his flame-red hair.

"I wonder what's going to happen next?" Axel murmured fleetingly.

Larxene looked at him, eyes betraying her curiosity. "As in the future?"

Axel nodded. "Yeah," he said. "What will Roxas do next? What will _we_ do next?"

Larxene smiled at him. "Idiot," she said with affection. "The whole point of one's life is not to plan out what will happen in the future, but to live for the present. however mindful of what may happen next." Axel rose his head to kiss her briefly, retreating to nuzzle her neck lovingly. He pawed at her arm, and Larxene wrapped it around his neck. "So you see," Larxene continued softly, "what we can do is help Roxas along the way, step by step. Whatever his ultimate choice may be for his vitality, also, we will stand by him."

"I feel mushy..."

Larxene frowned comically, then chuckled, low and light at the same time.

Beside Larxene, Roxas smiled and whined.

"Funny thing," Axel said after a moment of silence. "In all of our major conflicts, we've dealt with ancestors and cousins of ultimately, the wolf."

"Pardon?"

"See," Axel began, putting his cheek to Larxene's own, "Saix was a berserker, faintly descended from shapeshifters if the initiative turning went wrong. He was a wolf all his own. The shapeshifter Bellacruxia that we dealt with could shift into a wolf. And finally, Jester: a werewolf, though he wasn't our _main _enemy." He grinned over to his lover, who smiled at the thinking of the pyro.

"I never really saw it that way," Larxene concurred. "You're quite right." She nibbled his ear, burying her face in his mane of red hair, willingly drowning in his warm, delicious scent. "It seems the wolves are at our doors lately, hm?"

"Mm...," Axel mumbled in response, nuzzling her soft neck. "But I'm closer," he murmured. "So that they'll have more trouble to deal with when they screw with us."

Larxene smiled at his conviction and devotion. "Not all of who encounter us are malevolent, Axel," she reassured.

"I know all too well," Axel said. "But I'll be by your side for as long as I'm alive."

"We're dead, darling," Larxene said morbidly.

"Oh, right," Axel corrected himself. With a grin, he said, "I'll be there for you for as long as I'm dead."

Larxene smiled to herself as Axel sealed the vow once more with a heartening kiss to her lips, to her heart, to her soul.

* * *

**A/N: Crap, it's over... Little facts time!**

**1. Rossignol apparently views Larxene as the daughter she always wanted.  
2. Strafe's original role was to be jealous of Roxas, since the Cub Prince thought that Larxene's son would take up more of the Nymph's time.  
3. Although Sinka was in limbo between being a major character and a minor character, she still actually influenced Mortica's ultimate fate.  
4. Sinka was, like Ranik, intended to live. But once again like Ranik, there'd be no real meaning.  
5. If I made Sinka live, then I'd've had her or Larxene kill Mortica. But I felt that it wouldn't really work because of all the deep background between her and Larxene that was provided.  
6. Bellacruxia was originally meant to appear on the opposing side of Larxene; meaning that she was supposed to once again somehow torment the Nymph while Mortica had Roxas. But it didn't work, since you can't really summon someone from the realm beyond.  
7. Rossignol was actually Queen before Bellacruxia, but Bellacruxia overthrew her before Creena, Stok and all of them were born. When Bellacruxia was gone, she didn't ascend back to the throne, because Strafe was already born and she let Stok take the place as temporary Alpha.  
8. "Pyroelectricity" was but a fleeting idea because of how I pondered over what could've happened after all of the Organization had reunited in the afterlife, namely Axel and Larxene and how they would interact.  
9. "Pyroelectricity" was actually spurred on into creation after my own painful quest for redemption.  
10. There will indeed be a companion to the "Pyroelectricity" trilogy. A story of Roxas' life as he matures and learns the lessons of life and wisdom. As well as his ultimate decision of whether or not will decides to age or not.**

**So once again, I fervently thank all of you who reviewed and/or took the time to read these stories. It's been absolutely appreciated, and although the curtains close for now, keep an eye on the sunrise, for it brings a new dawn.**

**Firebloom**


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